Rebekah Wilson
BBC News NI

Gabrielle Feenan introduced President Biden on stage at Ulster University earlier, and says it was the "toughest secret" she's ever kept.

The 23-year-old says she was nervous in recent days and "couldn't tell my family or friends".

"The president was so lovely and encouraging. It was a pinch-myself-moment to meet him."

Cathal Boyle, a student paramedic and chair of Ulster University's students' council, says the event was a sign of "genuine hope", and an amazing experience to witness.

Reflecting on the Good Friday Agreement anniversary, Cathal says he "never lived through the violence", and that Biden's speech was integral to future hopes of peace.

Pragya Sharma and Adanna Ewuzie said it was "surreal" to meet and have a selfie taken with US President Joe Biden.

Like Rebecca and Eoin mentioned below, they were in attendance at Ulster University in Belfast when Biden gave a speech earlier.

Lucy Hockings
Presenter reporting from Belfast

I've been speaking to two students who were in the room at Ulster University, watching US President Joe Biden's speech.

Rebecca Allen, vice president for education at the students union, says she was inspired by his visit.

"It renews my sense that there are opportunities in Northern Ireland," she tells me.

Eoin Millar, who is a student at the university, says it was important to see "the breadth of civic society in the room today".

Following that previous post from our political editor Chris Mason - a quick recap of what happened to Det Ch Insp John Caldwell.

The senior PSNI officer sustained life-changing injuries when he was shot at a sports complex in Omagh, County Tyrone, by suspected dissident republicans in February.

The attack, which occurred in front of schoolchildren, has been widely condemned by political figures across Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland's terror threat level was raised to severe in the weeks following the attack.

President Biden referred to Caldwell in his speech in Belfast earlier - saying "the enemies of peace will not prevail".

Image source, PA Media

Chris Mason
Political editor

The BBC understands the prime minister met with John Caldwell and his family this afternoon.

Det Ch Insp Caldwell of the Police Service of Northern Ireland was shot at a sports complex in Omagh, County Tyrone, in February.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby spoke to the BBC's Sarah Smith at Ulster University before President Biden's address there earlier today.

"The president has said he would love to see the Assembly back up and running here," he said. "Political stability will actually help engender more opportunities for trade or economic investment."

The Northern Ireland Assembly is currently in a state of shutdown, due to a refusal by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to participate in power-sharing over post-Brexit trade issues.

Kirby said the president wanted to "look for continued opportunities for deeper investment between our two countries and between our two economies".

As for his trip to the Republic of Ireland, Kirby said Biden was "very much looking forward to being able to address the Irish parliament" and would hail the two countries' "incredible partnership".

He said the president would address the war in Ukraine, and applaud Ireland's welcoming of thousands of refugees.

Sarah Smith
North America editor, in Belfast

President Joe Biden says he hopes the Stormont Assembly and Northern Ireland executive will soon be restored. Has his visit made it any more likely?

Before his speech the president talked to Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the DUP. It’s his party which is refusing to join the power sharing government because of their concerns about post Brexit trading arrangements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Donaldson told me the president did not try offer advice or tell him what do. He is not trying to interfere with internal politics. Instead he said the US stands ready to encourage greater economic investment in NI.

The DUP leader said he was pleased to hear the president say that he respects Northern Ireland’s position as an integral part of the UK. But this afternoon’s speech has not moved the DUP any closer to re-joining an operating devolved government.

Image source, Reuters

US President Joe Biden is now greeting crowds that have gathered to meet him in Dublin Airport's fire station.

He thanks US embassy staff and their children - saying everyone thinks the job is "glamorous" but it can be challenging.

He also takes questions from a group of youngsters, with one asking how Biden's dog Major is doing.

"My dog is doing well," Biden says.

Asked what the key to success is, he tells the crowd that whenever they disagree with someone it's okay to question judgement, but it's never okay to question motive.

Welcome to our live coverage, if you're just joining us. A quick recap of what's been happening so far today:

• US President Joe Biden has given a speech at Ulster University. He reflected on the progress made in Northern Ireland in the 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement - and urged a return to power-sharing for the Northern Ireland Assembly
• He met the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties, as well as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Downing Street said both leaders expressed their "sincere hope" that institutions in Northern Ireland would be restored as soon as possible

And that's it from Northern Ireland for now...

Image source, Reuters

... but there's plenty more to come.

• Biden and his party have just arrived in Dublin
• They will make their way to County Louth - where some of his ancestors hail from. The White House says Biden will tour also Carlingford Castle
• The president is also set for a full day of engagements in Dublin on Thursday.

Stay with us for live updates.

Here are more pictures of the US leader after his arrival in the Republic of Ireland a few minutes ago.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

US President Joe Biden has just arrived in Dublin on Air Force One, ahead of further engagements in the Republic of Ireland.

Stay on this page while we continue bringing you reaction to his speech in Northern Ireland earlier - and more on what he's doing in the Republic.

Some more comments from the UK government side.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has denied suggestions that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak snubbed President Biden by not attending his speech at Ulster University.

Sunak welcomed Biden to Belfast last night, and the pair met this morning before the Ulster University event. (There are details on what they discussed in our last post.)

Heaton-Harris says the prime minister had other private engagements to attend afterwards, which was a "perfectly legitimate thing to do".

"Actually the two of them get on really well, they meet each other all the time. The relationship is great," he adds.

Sunak himself was asked earlier about his seemingly limited contact with Biden this week.

He said this was Biden's fourth UK visit since becoming US president, and that they had a "very good discussion on a range of issues".

Image source, Simon Walker/No 10 Downing Street

We've received some more details of what President Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed in Belfast this morning.

Both leaders expressed their "sincere hope" that the institutions in Northern Ireland would be restored "as soon as possible", a Downing Street spokesperson said.

They reflected on the legacy of the Good Friday Agreement and said the anniversary presented a moment to celebrate the progress that Northern Ireland has made over the last 25 years and "recommit to building an even brighter future".

Sunak thanked the president for the role the US played in Northern Ireland's prosperity and hailed the thriving trade relationship between the UK and US.

We've been bringing you comments from the DUP and Sinn Féin. Here's what leaders of Northern Ireland's other main parties said after their own conversations with Joe Biden today.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said the US president spoke about Northern Ireland's economy and the importance of political stability to maximising its potential.

The president's speech was "positive, balanced, optimistic and hopeful for the future", she said.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described his meeting with Biden as a "positive engagement" with "someone who was a supporter of our peace process before it even existed".

He made reference to Biden being a founding member of the Friends of Ireland caucus in the US Congress in the 1970s.

UUP leader Doug Beattie said meeting President Biden was a "grip and grin" engagement in which he welcomed the president to Northern Ireland.

He said they spoke about the economic opportunities for Northern Ireland, and the president thanked his party for the role it played in the Good Friday Agreement.

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Biden's motorcade - led by The Beast, the armoured car transporting the US president - left Ulster University a short time ago.

He will now travel to the Republic, where he'll meet the Irish president, address parliament and catch up with his cousins until Friday.

Biden was due to travel by helicopter to County Louth, but due to bad weather he will instead make the journey by car, according to Irish officials quoted by PA Media.

Image source, PA Media

Speaking after meeting with Biden, Sinn Féin's deputy leader Michelle O'Neill says today's message from the US leader was "one of hope and opportunity".

She explains: "It's very future focused, the fact that so many young people were here (at Ulster University) and he was speaking directly to them, and to all political leaders as well I suppose."

O'Neill says she would have liked to have greeted Biden at the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont - which is currently in shutdown - but will instead "grab with both hands" the opportunities presented by the US leader's visit.

Biden used his speech to urge a return to power-sharing in the Northern Ireland Assembly - something O'Neill describes as a "a clear message to the DUP".

The DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) is currently boycotting the power-sharing government.

Image source, PA Media

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he had a "very brief" discussion with Joe Biden today.

"He made it clear that he's not here to interfere," he added, referring to the current political stalemate at Stormont. (Read more about that - and the DUP's stance - in our earlier post.)

Donaldson said he didn't get the sense that the president was urging his party to do more to restore power-sharing.

"Of course, like all of us, he wants to see the political institutions up and running again but we are very clear that can only happen when we have got the solid foundations that we need."

He added that he welcomed the president's comments on the contributions of Ulster-Scots in America.

"He recognised the need to bring balance to what he had to say."

Downing Street will be happy with Biden's endorsementpublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 12 April 2023

14:23 BST 12 April 2023

Chris Mason
Political editor

And so…it’s done.

The US president’s message was unmistakable: Northern Ireland’s future is dependent on getting devolved government up and running again.

Sort out your politics and the economic wins will follow.

Downing Street will be delighted Joe Biden so explicitly endorsed the new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, the Windsor Framework, and his willingness to be so explicit about the importance of functioning devolution.

Some within the Democratic Unionist Party have been noisily critical of President Biden but the party leadership is seeking to sound more positive - saying they were pleased he acknowledged what happens next is Northern Ireland’s call.

Biden unable to unblock NI politicspublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 12 April 2023

14:18 BST 12 April 2023

Gareth Gordon
NI political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

This was not a day for the kind of gaffes Joe Biden is occasionally known for.

Instead the president stuck rigidly to the carefully-honed script.

He hoped the assembly and executive are restored as soon as possible, adding quickly it was not a decision for him

He also praised the Windsor Framework like he was always going to and he pledged continuing US help - economic and political - for Northern Ireland.

Every box ticked, he’s now leaving impotent to unblock a politics beyond the control of even his powerful administration.

Biden explained in his speech that there's a large population in the US that cares about what happens in Northern Ireland.

He said this brings "Washington together, it brings and America together" - and that it's been a key focus for him throughout his career.

Biden added: "It's hard to communicate just how deeply invested in your success the people across the United States are".