President Trump should move swiftly to appoint a Special Envoy to the North of Ireland.
That's the view of Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents New York's strongly-Irish 17th Congressional District.
Acknowledging that the President has appointed Ambassadors to both London and Dublin, the Congressman says Belfast now requires similar attention by the appointment of a Special Envoy.
Democratic and Republican Presidents have appointed Special Envoys to Northern Ireland since the 1998 signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
However, in his last term, President Trump delayed the appointment of his Special Envoy — former White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney — until March 2020, giving him just nine, Covid lockdown, months in the post.
In appointing Joseph Kennedy III as his Special Envoy to Northern Ireland in December 2022, President Biden appended the words 'for Economic Affairs' to the title, seen as a concession to unionists who bristled at the selection of a Kennedy for the post.
In an op-ed on our website ahead of St. Patrick's Day, Rep. Lawler says the North should not be left behind in the development of the Ireland-U.S. partnership.
"This year, as we mark the 101st anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Republic of Ireland, we celebrate a partnership rooted in shared history, values, and opportunity," he writes. "Yet, our commitment to peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland extends beyond Dublin — it reaches places like Armagh, Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, and Newry."
He adds: "Ensuring the proper implementation of the Good Friday Agreements also necessitates respect. That is why I have strongly advocated against the UK’s Legacy and Reconciliation bill. This bill essentially ended prosecutions related to the Troubles, undermining victims’ rights across Northern Ireland. I led the charge in the U.S. Congress against this legislation and am pleased that the British government, under the new Administration, is revisiting the bill. A sustained peace is hard work, but for those who care deeply about democracy in Northern Ireland, it’s work well done."
The appointment of a Special Envoy to the North would strengthen transatlantic relationships, the Congressman says, adding: "While the Trump Administration has yet to appoint an Envoy, I trust the President will soon announce his pick. Even before sending the congressional letter with my colleagues, I had individually urged the Administration to fill the slot."
