ALAN KELLY MEP VISITS WHITE HOUSE ON US TRIP

Issued : Monday 21 December, 2009
Areas : Munster

As one of the EU MEPS chosen to represent the European Parliament in the United States, Alan Kelly was recently selected as part of a Europe wide MEP delegation to visit Washington and New York for ongoing discussions between the EU and the US.

The delegation made a number of visits to the US House of Congress, the United Nations, the EU Embassy as well as the White House. Discussions took place on economic co-operation, trade negotiations, regulation of services and products as well as foreign affairs.
 
During the trip, Kelly met with US Congressmen across the US along with key members of the President Obama’s administration, including Cass Sunstein, who works out of the White House and is a very close advisor to the US President and Susan Rice, who it the US Ambassador to the United Nations.
 
While in the US, Kelly also took the opportunity to have a number of meetings on Irish affairs. In particular, he discussed a number of issues relating to promoting inward investment and spent a considerable amount of time lobbying on behalf of the undocumented Irish in the US, who have been campaigning for years for a deal to regularise their status.
 
Kelly stated ‘all in all it was an excellent trip. I feel that it was particularly good to share information as to how collectively we can tackle the global financial crisis and look at new ways of co-operating in economic development. From a domestic point of view, I was particularly happy to push the question of the undocumented Irish in the US. It is a very important and personal issue of mine. These people are caught in a very difficult position and I feel for them. That’s why I will use every opportunity to make my voice heard and fight their corner when I can. Finally, it was also an opportunity to learn a little first hand on where the US is going economically, especially the areas that they are investing in. We need to move quickly in this country and in this Munster region to ensure we are ready for the push for investment that will inevitably come once the US economy picks up again’.
 
Ends