US Vice President Mike Pence confirms visit to Ireland
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Mike Pence will visit Ireland in September
US Vice President Mike Pence is to visit Ireland in September.
Mr Pence confirmed the visit, on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September, on his Twitter page , external.
The vice president said he will meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tanaiste Simon Coveney and President Michael D Higgins.
It will follow a visit to the UK "where he will focus on strengthening and expanding our bilateral economic relationship" following Brexit.
A White House statement said that during the visit to Ireland, Mr Pence would "voice the US commitment to maintaining peace, prosperity, and stability in Ireland by upholding the Good Friday Agreement".
In his tweet, Mr Pence said: "On September 6-7 we will travel to Ireland, a country that is very near to my family's heart, where we look forward to meeting with President @MichaelDHiggins, Taoiseach @LeoVaradkar, and Tánaiste @simoncoveney while celebrating my Irish roots!"
The confirmation of the visit comes after the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi said a US-UK trade deal will not get through Congress if Brexit undermines the Good Friday Agreement.
"Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the seamless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland," Ms Pelosi said in a statement on Wednesday.