Sinn Féin Leas-Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill today attended the Speakers Lunch on Capitol Hill and the St Patrick’s Day reception in the White House.

This follows a day of meetings with senior political figures on Capitol Hill including Chair of the Ways and Means Committee Richard Neal and Senator Chris Murphy.

Michelle O’Neill said:

“Throughout the week the US Administration and senior political leaders on Capitol Hill have been absolutely unequivocal in their support for the Good Friday Agreement and the Protocol.

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was very clear when she said if there is any hardening of the border there will be no US trade deal with Britain.

“The US has invested almost a quarter of a century in the Agreement and understands that it is a cornerstone of the peace process and needs to be strongly defended. There will be no renegotiation of the Good Friday Agreement before or after the Assembly elections, regardless of the attempts of the DUP and English Tories to undermine it.

“Those committed to democracy need to commit to working together in the Assembly, Executive, North South Ministerial Council and East West structures and this needs to happen regardless of the outcome of the elections. Nothing less is acceptable.”