US PRESIDENT JOE Biden is expected to visit Ireland for five days next month.
Officials in the Republic here are planning to welcome the US President on 12 April, and it is being reported that he is due in Belfast on Tuesday 11 April.
Biden is due to travel to both the Republic and Northern Ireland next month to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which is being marked on Easter Monday 10 April.
According to the most recent plans, Irish and US officials are currently making arrangements for the President to visit the Republic between Wednesday 12 April and Saturday 15 April.
As The Journal reported at the weekend, gardaí have been informed that no further leave or rest days will be granted between 10 and 15 April as part of plans to facilitate the visit by Biden.
Officials from the US State Department visited Ireland and met with hoteliers earlier this month and with members of An Garda Síochána in recent weeks.
Sources have said the garda meetings centred around security preparations with one of the meetings specifically around close protection of US dignitaries.
Earlier this month, Biden confirmed that he would be visiting and said this week that the increased terror threat level in Northern Ireland would not impact his visit, telling reporters “they can’t keep me out”.
'They can't keep me out.'
— UTV Live News (@UTVNews) March 29, 2023
US President Joe Biden says the raising of Northern Ireland's terror threat level won't affect his plans to visit the region.
More here: https://t.co/f5oHmeWd5O pic.twitter.com/T5fXKDH42F
Former US President Bill Clinton and Chancellor of Queen’s University Hillary Clinton will also visit Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the GFA.
The Clintons are due to take part in an international conference at Queen’s University, which will reflect on how the agreement was initially reached in 1998.
The three-day conference begins the following week, on 17 April.
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