Hillary Clinton to address women politicians

Mrs Hillary Clinton is expected to give a special address on empowerment and the role of women in politics to Irish women parliamentarians…

Mrs Hillary Clinton is expected to give a special address on empowerment and the role of women in politics to Irish women parliamentarians, as part of the presidential visit to Ireland and Britain.

Mrs Clinton is likely to meet the women, including several senior and junior ministers, at Deerfield, the US ambassador's residence in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, tomorrow morning, while President Clinton is holding talks with the Taoiseach at Government Buildings.

The Belfast singer, Brian Kennedy, will perform Danny Boy, described as "the President's favourite song" at the open-air rally for Mr Clinton in Dundalk tomorrow evening.

The President will give two addresses in the Republic, the first at the reception in the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, at lunchtime tomorrow, the second shortly after 7 p.m. in Dundalk. The Taoiseach is to make an introductory speech at both events.

READ MORE

Two stages have been erected in Dundalk, one for the President and another for the entertainers. The musical acts, including Brian Kennedy, Altan, Donal Lunny and Liam Reilly, will be introduced by the RTE broadcaster, Gerry Ryan.

Fevered preparations for the visit were in progress yesterday in Dundalk, involving representatives of the White House, the US State Department, the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and both Irish and US security agencies.

Although Mr Clinton will travel by helicopter from Dublin Airport to the Phoenix Park, he will make his way from there to Government Buildings by car.

The President arrives at the airport at 7.55 a.m. and is due at the US ambassador's residence at 8.40 a.m. He will make a courtesy call at Aras an Uachtarain at 10.25 a.m.; arrive for his meeting with the Taoiseach in Government Buildings at 11.20; attend the lunch reception at the Guinness Storehouse, Market Street, Dublin from 12.30 to 2 p.m.; hold a private meeting with representatives of the US community in Ireland at 4.30 p.m. in the ambassador's residence; and give his public address in Dundalk shortly after 7 p.m. before flying to Belfast by helicopter.

On Wednesday he will meet the Northern parties at Stormont in the morning and in the afternoon he will give a keynote speech at Belfast's Odyssey Centre. On Wednesday evening he will fly to Chequers for dinner with the Blair family.