VZCZCXRO0004
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHDL #0191/01 0671704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081704Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8046
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES IMMEDIATE
RUEHBL/AMCONSUL BELFAST IMMEDIATE 0549
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000191 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD EINV EAIR MOPPS MARR IE
SUBJECT: SCENE-SETTER FOR PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN'S ST. 
PATRICK'S DAY VISIT 
 
 
DUBLIN 00000191  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) An imminent, potentially historic opportunity to 
restore the Northern Ireland Assembly sets the political 
backdrop for this year's St. Patrick's Day visit to 
Washington by Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach, "TEE-shuck") 
Bertie Ahern.  Building on the 2006 UK/Irish-brokered talks 
among the Northern political parties at St. Andrews in 
Scotland, Sinn Fein took an unprecedented step on January 28 
to endorse policing in Northern Ireland.  March 7 elections 
for the Northern Assembly do not have a final tally, but have 
likely positioned Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) chief Ian 
Paisley and Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin McGuinness to 
become First Minister and Deputy First Minister, 
respectively.  The Irish and British Governments continue to 
press for restoration of the Assembly, and the Taoiseach will 
likely seek President Bush's support for that objective.  We 
defer to Consulate Belfast for further analysis of 
developments in Northern Ireland. 
 
The Domestic Political Background 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Ireland's national elections, likely to be held in 
mid-May, also color the political backdrop for the St. 
Patrick's Day discussions.  Prime Minister Ahern, who is 
seeking a third consecutive five-year term, and his party, 
Fianna Fail ("FEE-na FALL"), are currently polling ahead of 
opposition rivals, though the gap has narrowed in recent 
weeks.  Election issues that have loomed large in the 
parties' pre-election conventions include: health care, the 
environment, living costs, deficient public infrastructure, 
and income tax policy.  In terms of immediate U.S. interests, 
the Government remains committed to facilitating U.S. 
military transits at Shannon and Dublin Airports (281,000 
troops in 2006), despite opposition within the electorate to 
U.S. efforts in Iraq and lingering public suspicions about 
Ireland's involvement in extraordinary renditions.  We do not 
expect this policy to change after the election, even if 
Fianna Fail were to lose. 
 
Sustained Economic Success 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In 2006, the Irish economy remained a pacesetter in 
Europe, registering roughly five percent GDP growth and 
virtual full employment for the third consecutive year. 
Economic prosperity and the availability of jobs have 
attracted an estimated 300,000 (mostly Eastern European) 
migrants since 2004, reversing Ireland's long-standing image 
as a country of migrs.  Roughly one in four migrants works 
in construction, and a potential vulnerability for the 
economy is the slowdown now underway in the previously 
red-hot housing market, not unlike in the United States. 
Another concern is Ireland's ability to compete with low-cost 
economies, such as India and China, for U.S. foreign direct 
investment, the engine of Ireland's Celtic Tiger success. 
The Taoiseach's visit comes on the heels of high-profile 
layoffs at the Irish subsidiaries of U.S. industry leaders 
Motorola, Pfizer, and Procter & Gamble. 
 
Bilateral Agenda Items 
---------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) GOI sources say that the Taoiseach will raise the 
following issues in his White House discussions: 
 
Immigration.  The Irish Government continues to consult with 
Congress and Irish-American groups on behalf of Irish 
residing illegally in the United States, variously estimated 
at between 5,000 and 50,000.  Prime Minister Ahern will 
likely ask the White House to support the renewed efforts of 
Senators McCain and Kennedy to reintroduce an immigration 
bill that would regularize the status of these "illegals." 
The issue poses a domestic political problem for the 
Taoiseach, since families throughout Ireland are unable to 
bring home the illegals for funerals, weddings, etc., without 
risking their ability to return to their U.S. homes. 
 
Open Skies.  The Irish Government strongly supports the 
U.S.-EU air transport agreement that was initialed on March 
2, which will create Open Skies in the U.S.-Irish market by 
March 2008.  Ireland is concerned, however, that 
liberalization of air services at Heathrow Airport under the 
U.S.-EU accord may lead the UK to block the deal at the March 
22-23 EU Transport Council meeting,  The Taoiseach is meeting 
with Prime Minister Blair this week and may have insights as 
what the British might need to accept the agreement. 
 
Darfur.  Ireland has been deeply engaged in Africa since the 
 
DUBLIN 00000191  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
missionary era, and the Irish Government has recently focused 
its diplomatic efforts on Darfur.  Last July, Foreign 
Minister Dermot Ahern (no relation to the Taoiseach) visited 
Irish aid workers in Darfur and pressed leaders in Khartoum 
to accept UN peace-keepers as a replacement force for the 
current African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS).  Foreign 
Minister Ahern is reportedly seeking a special diplomatic 
role for himself in a region of conflict, and his 2005 
experience as Special Envoy for UN Reform and as a Northern 
Ireland negotiator would give him credibility on Darfur. 
 
The Middle East.  Ireland has welcomed the formation of a 
Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) and supports EU 
overtures to the NUG to accept the Quartet Principles.  The 
Irish Government and public have long-standing sympathies for 
the Palestinian cause, and the Taoiseach has led off 
discussions with past high-ranking USG visitors by expressing 
concern about perceived indiscriminate Israeli responses to 
Palestinian violence.  Regarding Lebanon, Ireland joined the 
original UNIFIL force in the 1970s and contributed 150 troops 
to the bolstered UNIFIL mission last summer in the aftermath 
of the Israeli-Hizbollah conflict. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The following items might also feature in 
discussions with the Taoiseach: 
 
Renditions.  The Irish Government strongly refuted a February 
report by the European Parliament alleging that Irish 
airports had hosted 147 suspected U.S. rendition flights.  In 
response to Irish parliamentary calls for random inspections 
at Shannon Airport, Government leaders have cited earlier 
U.S. assurances that no such practice involves Ireland.  At 
one point, Foreign Minister Ahern suggested reexamining the 
1944 Chicago Convention in light of suspicions on rendition 
flights, but there have been no concrete moves by the 
Government to reopen the Convention. 
 
Climate Change.  Although the Irish public and media 
criticize the United States for remaining outside the Kyoto 
Protocol, Ireland's rapid economic growth has made it 
difficult for the country to meet its own Kyoto commitments. 
Ireland pledged under the Protocol to reduce emissions to 13 
percent above 1990 levels by 2012, but emissions now stand at 
25 percent above the 1990 threshold.  In this context, the 
Government has welcomed Embassy proposals for a cooperative 
approach to climate change, and we are working on bilateral 
initiatives focused on ocean/wave energy, methane capture, 
and clean coal technologies. 
 
Kosovo.  Ireland strongly supports UN Special Envoy 
Ahtisaari's roadmap for Kosovo and also favors the 
integration of the western Balkans into the EU and 
trans-Atlantic community, pending necessary political reforms 
in the region.  In August, Ireland will become the "Framework 
Nation" in a KFOR division that will include 270 Irish 
troops. 
 
Afghanistan.  Ireland, a NATO Partnership for Peace member, 
has seven military officers in Afghanistan, who serve in 
administrative roles.  In response to Embassy requests to 
increase troop contributions, the Government agreed only to 
replace one administrative officer with an ordnance 
specialist, while extending the tours of assigned officers 
from four to six months. 
FOLEY