Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald is in the US this week for a series of political engagements in Washington DC and New York.  During the trip Ms. McDonald will meet with senior political leaders on Capitol Hill and with the US Administration and attend events with business leaders, the Irish diaspora and the Labour Movement.  She also met with US Representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress.

Ms. McDonald said:

“This week Sinn Féin leaders will undertake a series of political engagements in Washington DC and New York.  We will brief members of the US Administration and senior Congressional leaders and attend events hosted by Georgetown University, Irish Diaspora groups, Labour Unions,  the Ad Hoc Committee to protect the Good Friday Agreement and US Special Envoy Joe Kennedy.  We will also attend the Speakers Lunch on Capitol Hill and St. Patrick’s Day event in the White House and meet with US and Irish businesses who are key to Ireland’s future economic growth.

“Our message in the United States this year is one of hope and opportunity. Coming at a time when the political institutions have been re-established in the north and growing momentum for change as the conversation on Irish unity deepens, the US will continue to be important for political progress and economic success across the island.

“The ongoing slaughter in Palestine will be central to our meetings in the US this year. In our engagements we will be raising the need for an immediate ceasefire and the renewal of a peace process grounded in international law, based on the two state solution.”

Political engagements during the week include:

US Administration, Friends of Ireland Congressional group, Representative Rashida Tlaib, Senator Chris Murphy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

African American Irish Diaspora Network

Ad hoc Committee for the Protection of the Good Friday Agreement

Trade Union leaders at the James Connolly Labour Coalition event

Economic engagements including IBEC, InterTrade Ireland, US investors and US Economic Envoy Joe Kennedy.