New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses media in Wellington on Friday AAP Image / Boris Jancic AAP Image / Boris Jancic / Boris Jancic

My thoughts, and I’m sure the thoughts of all New Zealanders, are with those who have been affected, and also with their families. They are us.

The person who has perpetuated this violence against us is not. They have no place in New Zealand. There is no place in New Zealand for such acts of extreme and unprecedented violence, which it is clear this act was.

New Zealand President Jacinda Ardern reacting the morning after the mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.

US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump during a St Patrick's Day Celebration reception and Shamrock presentation ceremony at the White House Brian Lawless Brian Lawless

They’re smart. They’re sharp. They’re great. And they’re brutal enemies. 

US President Donald Trump speaking about Irish people during his meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.  

Children protesting outside Leinster House on 19 January during the children's rally for climate change Sam Boal Sam Boal

 We’re going to go extinct if we don’t do something about it. 

School students from across the country took strike action on Friday to demand immediate action on climate change. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC this week Brian Lawless Brian Lawless

I think a lot of people that advocated unicorns have been chasing unicorns for a very long time and as we head into the next few weeks it should be patently obvious that unicorns only exist in fairytales. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking to the media in Washington DC after the first House of Commons vote on Brexit this week.

I would say to people that advocate Brexit, is this really what you want Protectionism, tariffs, borders, restrictions on trade, is this what Brexit was really all about?

Michael Ryan, the Irishman who died on the Ethiopian Airlines flight last week WFP / Facebook WFP / Facebook / Facebook

He wanted to really basically to save the world as far as he was concerned and he had a vision for that and he just seemed to put all his energies in and do that.

The mother of Irish aid worker Michael Ryan speaking after he died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash last weekend.

Today the word green has now become profoundly linked to the protection of our environment and the challenges we face in preserving the planet for our own and future generations.

Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins gave his St Patrick’s Day message earlier this week.

So, this year, as famous buildings and landmarks around the world turn green in honour of St Patrick’s Day, let us resolve to play our part, however small, in the achieving of a greener world in its truest sense.