With London and Brussels about to ink a reconfigured Brexit deal, there's no better time for the majority in the North of Ireland who wish to see progress to reach out to our allies in America.
Certainly, it would be foolish to allow the DUP, or their co-conspirators in Whitehall, to paralyse Northern politics as they have done for over a year now.
That was my message to friends I met during a 48-hour visit to Florida, first at the Ireland Funds Gala in Palm Beach and the following day to members of the Ireland-U.S. Council, the network of corporate Irish America, whose President Tom Higgins had kindly asked me to address their winter luncheon.
In my comments, I returned to basics: Ireland is a country of seven million people with a global family of 70 million. While, ditto the doting parent, we love all our global family equally, we recognise that the 31.5 million Irish of America are the most powerful and most treasured wing of our community. GIVING BACK: Ireland Fund gala in Palm Beach, Florida
They proved that during the peace process.
Indeed, on this the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it’s important to remind ourselves that there would have been no peace in the Ireland without Irish America.
The 1998 Agreement, with the U.S. as a guarantor, made it possible for American businesses to cement the peace with jobs.
American companies have made a spectacular impact across the island of Ireland since peace was secured.
Philanthropy in action @IrelandFundsAM Gala in Palm Beach. Generosity and spirited support on a uniquely successful evening.#TheTiesThatBindUs pic.twitter.com/Oazz8qNoZL
— Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason (@IrelandAmbUSA) February 17, 2023
The Irish Business and Employers Confederation recently reported that in the North since 1998, the pharma sector has more than doubled in size and the tech sector quadrupled in size. BACK TO THE FUTURE: Miami Beach, Miami, home to the newest Irish consulate in America
Today, Belfast is home to a raft of bluechip U.S. companies including Spirit Aerosystems of Wichita, Kansas, Allsate of Chicago, Aflac of Atlanta, Citi Group of New York, and Rapid 7 of Boston. The list goes on. 
And yet, compared to the stellar economy of the Republic of Ireland, the North is in many ways a developing economy. Our GDP in fact is only about eight per cent of the GDP of the Republic of Ireland. 100 years ago, the Six Counties generated 80 per cent of Ireland’s GDP.
Of course, a developing economy often offers more opportunities than a fully mature – or even overheating - economy. Just this week Sinéad Donovan, the incoming President of Chartered Accountants Ireland, lamented the fact that the well-paid staff of her accountancy firm can't find housing.
Ironically, Brexit — which the North voted against by a clear majority — has given us the opportunity to turbo-charge our developing economy.
CG Sarah Kavanagh was honoured to accompany @IrelandAmbUSA Geraldine Byrne Nason to the @IrelandFundsAM Emerald Isle Gala in Palm Beach. Over $600,000 was raised for great causes in Ireland thanks to the generosity of attendees. @ChloeAgnew gave an amazing performance. 🇮🇪🇺🇸☘️ pic.twitter.com/kSOzQClfiq
— Irish Consulate Miami (@IrelandCGMiami) February 17, 2023
The Northern Ireland Protocol, agreed as part of the British withdrawal from the EU, effectively made a Special Economic Zone of this region. We are the only area in Europe which can trade tariff-free with the 65 million-strong British market and with the 450-million strong European market. HOME TIES: With Pat Donaghy, Tryone-born founder of Structuretone, one of most successful construction firms in the US, Jim Adrian of Boston and Mike Brewster of Longford and Florida
Whatever comes from the ongoing talks between the UK and Europe, there's no suggestion of a return to the hard border of the past. That means the all-island economy boosted by the Protocol will continue to blossom.
I am confident that when the wrinkles in the Protocol are ironed out, the North will enjoy an investment bonanza.
We are already seeing the mitigating effects of the Protocol on the damage that Brexit is wreaking across the water in Britain.
In the first six months of 2022, trade from North to South in Ireland rocketed, increasing by 61 per cent. The current all-Ireland goods trade level of €9.3bn is unprecedented.
And of course with President Biden’s appointment of Special Economic Envoy Joseph Kennedy III, we have an advocate and cheerleader at the heart of the U.S. government.
Great to be back at base. Florida was fun but best place anywhere is always road home. pic.twitter.com/4ltp9mTYq0
— Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (@newbelfast) February 18, 2023
To seize these economic opportunities, of course, one needs capital. That’s why, with partners in Boston, I have established the North Ireland Growth Fund which will raise $100m in the U.S., largely from pension funds, to invest in start-ups and early-stage companies in the 12 northern counties of Ireland. I have no doubt that many of these investments will go into advanced manufacturing companies seizing the opportunities created both by the NI Protocol and the Green Transition - which will spur a surge in unionised, green-collar, high-productivity, high-wage engineering jobs.
I am convinced that, providing we can restore the political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, over the next decade, the best business opportunities on the island of Ireland will be North of the Border.
Tonight is the night. We're delighted to be honoring Jennifer & Ambassador David T. Fischer and Michael Flatley at The Ireland Funds Palm Beach Emerald Isle Ball. Looking forward to raising support for outstanding organizations across the island of Ireland https://t.co/7U3NKeIfNV pic.twitter.com/Bco9t9QvGf
— IrelandFundsAmerica (@IrelandFundsAM) February 16, 2023
And believe firmly that positive change, including peaceful constitutional change, will flow from the strengthening all-Ireland economy.
Progress, however, will only be possible if Irish America has our back.
One of the most prominent directors of the Ireland-U.S. Council is Mike Brewster of Longford who was appointed as a Belfast ambassador in 2018. He is very proud of his native Longford and often displays its motto – "Daingean agus Dílis" ("Steadfast and Loyal").
That's what we ask of all our friends in the Ireland-US Council, and, indeed, in all of Irish America in the crucial months and years ahead - to stand daingean agus dílis. If they do their steadfastness and loyalty will be returned many times over in the shared and unified Ireland we are striving to build.
