The US President’s visit to Ireland involves a ‘significant’ cost to the taxpayer, the interim Justice Minister has admitted.
Simon Harris told The Pat Kenny Show that the costs will ‘pale into insignificance’ compared to the benefits of the visit for the country.
Joe Biden is delivering a speech at Ulster University this afternoon in his first public engagement since arriving in Ireland.
Joe Biden arriving to cheers into Belfast city centre pic.twitter.com/zkyfbPHwR8
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) April 11, 2023
He met the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the main political party leaders in Belfast earlier and is expected to arrive into Dublin Airport at around 3pm this afternoon.
He will then travel to Louth where he will visit Carlingford Castle before taking part in a walkabout in Dundalk.
The entire four-day trip involves high levels of security, with Gardaí drafted in from around the country to ensure things go smoothly.
Minister Harris told Pat Kenny that the cost to the Exchequer is still unclear.
“It is very clear that there is a very significant policing and security operation underway across our country with a particular focus obviously on the areas that President Biden will visit – obviously Louth, Dublin and Mayo,” he said.
“There will, of course, be significant costs associated with this. We don’t know them yet; they won’t crystalise yet.
“But to be honest, those costs, I think, will pale into insignificance with the benefits of the visit.
“Both the benefit to what I hope is continuing to embed peace onto this island – but also, indeed, the economic benefit, the tourism benefit, the profile benefit that a US presidential visit brings.”
US President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One after attending a G20 summit in Rome, Italy in November 2021. Picture by: Simon Serdar / AlamyRoad closures and parking restrictions have been in place since early this week ahead of the visit and the scale of the security operation is expected to dwarf that put in place when former president Barack Obama visited in 2011.
Minister Harris thanked Gardaí for their dedication.
“I’ve been talking to many gardaí as I go about my business in recent days and I want to begin by thanking them because annual leave has been cancelled, many have given up their rest days, many of whom, I’m sure, had their own plans for the Easter period had those plans halted,” he said.
“I want to thank them for doing that and for stepping up, as the Gardaí always do, when our country needs them.”
Interim Justice Minister Simon Harris at today’s Garda passing out ceremony in Templemore, 13-01-2023. Image: Leon Farrell/RollingNewsAsked whether the visit offered value for money to the taxpayer, Minister Harris replied: “Very much so.”
President Biden is due to visit Áras an Uachtaráin on Thursday where he will meet President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
He is also due to make an address to the Oireachtas that afternoon.
Joe Biden landing in Belfast to be greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pic.twitter.com/zvA0Bx5ekD
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) April 11, 2023
Later on Thursday he will attend a gala dinner at Dublin Castle.
On Friday he will travel to Mayo where he will make a public address outside St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina.
The event is open to the public an you can register to attend here.
Separately, the White House has responded to former DUP leader Arlene Foster’s claim that President Biden “hates the United Kingdom.”
A White House spokesperson said the US President has been “very actively engaged” in the Irish peace process throughout his career.
