Thomas Foley: “Ireland is a beautiful country, and anyone who has visited there recognizes its emerald beauty, its hospitality, its…”

“Ireland is a beautiful country, and anyone who has visited there recognizes its emerald beauty, its hospitality, its friendliness and its importance to the United States. But for too many years there has been strife, ethnic division, division created by religious beliefs that has gone on for far too long. President Clinton did his best to bring about a cease-fire, working with all parties to make a practical approach to peace, but the one thing that seems apparent to me more than anything else is our continued interest in economic ties with Ireland. Wherever I have traveled and whoever I have met in the world's theater, one thing seems to be clear in their presentations to members of our congressional delegations; that if we bring jobs and opportunity, America's economic might and stick-to-it-iveness, what emerges from strife and fighting and decay and despair, what emerges from those difficult situations, are hope and opportunity, progress and peace.”