The Tánaiste Ms Harney has addressed a pre-EU/US Summit meeting of international business leaders in Limerick. The Tánaiste told the meeting that the EU would be "a strong partner with the US in political, economic and security matters."
Ms Harney was addressing the executive board of the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue (TABD), whose members include the CEOs of some 30 major international companies.
The meeting was also attended by the US Secretary for State for Commerce, Mr. Donald Evans, and the EU Commissioner for Enterprise, Mr. Jan Figel.
The Tánaiste said Ireland was proud and gratified that the "historic reunification of Europe on Accession Day, May 1st", and political agreement on the new draft EU Constitution, had both been achieved during Ireland's EU Presidency.
The agenda included a discussion of the implications for transatlantic trade of new US and EU anti-terrorist security controls.
The meeting also discussed intellectual property rights and the fight against counterfeiting, international accounting standards, and the World Trade Organisation Doha Development Round talks.