live from london — this is bbc news... presidentjoe biden arrives in dublin after re—committing us support for the good friday agreement. so let's celebrate 25 extraordinary years by recommitting to renewal, repair, by making this exceptional peace the birthright of every child in northern ireland for all the days to come. a second day ofjunior doctor walk—outs in the uk — nhs leaders call for a rapid resolution to strike action

here he is being greeted on the tarmac at dublin airport by the irish tee—shock leo varadkar. the pair then left in a motorcade, heading for county lowth — where they're expected in the next half an hour or so. president biden has urged northern ireland's political factions to resume power sharing, during a visit to mark 25 years of the deal that ended the conflict. he is in northern ireland to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the good friday agreement. the president won't be visiting the northern ireland assembly in stormont during his trip. it was established as a result

of the good friday agreement, but it's currently not functioning since the democratic unionist party withdrew its support in protest at post—brexit trading arrangements. biden acknowledged the differences but said he hoped power—sharing would resume. thousands of famliies have been affected by the troubles, the pain was real. every person killed left an empty chair at a dining room table and a hole in the heart that was never filled for the ones they lost. peace was not inevitable, we cant ever forget that, there was nothing inevtitable about it. as george mitchell often said, the negotiations had 700 days of failure and one day of success. but they kept going because george and others never stopped believing that success was possible.

i want to talk you to live pictures now where we saw i want to talk you to live pictures now where we sanoe biden and hunter biden and his sister. and the irish prime minister. he has now arrived in dundalk. you can see the beast there and on the beast the american flag as well as the tricolor irish flag. lots of people gathered there along the main street there in dundalk, waiting to get a glimpse of presidentjoe biden. he made his last trip there in 2016. when he visited as vice president. he was in a different area of the earlier where we understand the indicated side of the family is from and he's really trying to trace his

ancestral roots back to this part of the world he has often described himself as a son of ireland, probably irish, and here he is again as president of the united states, earlier we saw him in northern ireland speaking to some young people at the university. he was supposed to address storment but thatis supposed to address storment but that is currently dormant and he wasn't able to do that. but here he is in dundalk in county louth. you can hear the crowds of people. they just have a listening to see what we can hear. crowd cheers.

as presidentjoe biden most of the barricade alongside the deputy prime minister of ireland, joe biden moves towards the barricades to greet all the while with hirsch sharing and wanted to shake hands with a us president. you can see all the secret service there and the security gathered around the us president as he makes his way through the crowd which is separated by that barricade. he stepped out of the beast, the motorcade that the us president often travels in. and you can see the irish police there as

well manning and guarding that area as a us president stepped out to a country in the part of the world that he has a strong affinity to. he traces his grades, great—grandfather to this part of the world. we can also see his son hunter biden shaking hands with all of those supporters and well—wishers in ireland. president biden there in that blue cap. we can just see him there with the secret service surrounded him was up there we are. we can see the back of his head there, to consult these with the crowd. they are obviously thrilled to see him. get some pictures with the us president. earlier in the day we heard people say they had been 90 not for ours waiting to get a glimpse of the us president, describing it as a once—in—a—lifetime opportunity for

them. earlier we saw him in a different part of county louth, where we understand the finnigan side of his family can be traced to. and you can see there hunter biting his son shaking hands some of those younger well—wishers waving american flags. wejust younger well—wishers waving american flags. we just get a glimpse of the us presidentjoe biden through the crowd. great service there. carefully watching the us presidents every move. joe biden there wearing that blue cap, you can just see the top of the cap there, as six cameras of people and takes pictures with them. the guard is there, the irish

police, as was the secret service travelling with the presidents, carefully watching his every move as he towards that barricade that separates him and dozens and dozens of people. a young boy there holding up of people. a young boy there holding up that phone and taking a picture of the us president. we can see images of the us president there in dundalk. live now to the northern editor at the irish times, freya mcclements. so many people threats against pictures with the us president. it just underlines the just underlines the relationship _ just underlines the just underlines the relationship with _ just underlines the just underlines the relationship with us _ just underlines the just underlines i the relationship with us presidents. joe biden_ the relationship with us presidents. joe biden filing _ the relationship with us presidents. joe biden filing a _ the relationship with us presidents. joe biden filing a long _ the relationship with us presidents. joe biden filing a long line - the relationship with us presidents. joe biden filing a long line of- joe biden filing a long line of presidents that stretch right back to the visit ofjohn f. kennedy which people still talk about. with

fondness and i suppose you can argue that the pylorus are gracious between joe that the pylorus are gracious betweenjoe biden and john f. kennedy because they both have such a connection with ireland because of their irish roots. the motivation behind the visits to konsa line and come meal where he has family ties. it was about 60 years ago thatjohn f. kennedy visited ireland and addressed both houses of parliament. he also went to trace his ancestral roots. in many ways this visits is very much in line with that for the us president. as you say, he is the second president of the united states to have the strong irish roots, catholic president. jfk was the youngest and, of course, joe biden the oldest us president at 80.

i think it's really noticeable is the, i was at belfast today and the on engagement of this in northern ireland. this stark difference between the time he spent with you northern ireland and the event. there is a speech and some brief conversations before hand but none of what we have seen in terms of crowds lining their roots or him being able to meet people. the scenario going into ulster university this morning. we heard streets cordoned off from traffic and there weren't any well—wishers that i could see it. possibly because it was so early and because of security but the real difference. none of those pictures from belfast that we see at the moment in county louth has been viewed in northern ireland and by northern ireland politicians. i think the uk government, disappointed for them that we can see the same pictures in

northern ireland. it that we can see the same pictures in northern ireland.— northern ireland. it was quite a fleetin: northern ireland. it was quite a fleeting trip _ northern ireland. it was quite a fleeting trip to _ northern ireland. it was quite a fleeting trip to northern - northern ireland. it was quite a l fleeting trip to northern ireland. it didn't last more than 15 or 16 hours. and really, we only saw him for a few hours on the ground there given that address to the university, to young people. and then basically making his way out to get to the south. absent. absolutely, and i think of plans were for an extended visit but became difficult once we had to still meet in storment which means the institutions, the good friday agreement, aren't up and running. but as always, ifjove ireland —— michaeljoe biden is going to visit ireland he was always going to mark the anniversary of the good friday agreement, which was the big success for the us in terms of the effort they put into that region. so he was

always going to best possible once we couldn't have the pictures of the us president giving out an address inference of functioning assembly, there was a feeling that the optics of that wouldn't really have been correct. and we had this much more scaled down to visit. that said, the day a us president visits anywhere is that a good day. huge positives to come out of this and actually one of the most encouraging things from the event today at ulster university is a number of young people as students there one —— michael watching and listening to the president talking about what they had in terms of opportunity now i suppose back then. there was a real sense that he connected with them on that. so something like this, always positive. that. so something like this, always ositive. , . , . that. so something like this, always ositive. , ., ., ., ., positive. this was a generational oint -- positive. this was a generational point -- michael _ positive. this was a generational point -- michael born _ positive. this was a generational point -- michael born after- positive. this was a generational point -- michael born after the l point —— michael born after the troubles, described as peace babies.

absolutely. and the parallels everywhere in terms of the university campus, it is built into the north of the city centre, an area which would have been largely derelict and affected by the troubles, and the us president made the point that is a huge new building, 22,000 square footage of glass, and people wouldn't of been talked of grass by then, you simply wouldn't of done it because it wouldn't of done it because it wouldn't have stayed standing and even that is an expression of confidence. in the young unattributed sure —— michael entrepreneur from the diversity that introduced him they spoke about some of the things that they could do no as opposed to previous years. that was very much the focus of the president in northern ireland and the absence of the government, to focus on young people.— the absence of the government, to focus on young people. yeah, and an

investment — focus on young people. yeah, and an investment on _ focus on young people. yeah, and an investment on the _ focus on young people. yeah, and an investment on the future _ focus on young people. yeah, and an investment on the future with - investment on the future with economics and trade a big part of this trip, perhaps even more so than politics. this trip, perhaps even more so than olitics. ~ , , , this trip, perhaps even more so than olitics. , , ,, . politics. absolutely. in his speech she addressed _ politics. absolutely. in his speech she addressed politics _ politics. absolutely. in his speech she addressed politics and - politics. absolutely. in his speech she addressed politics and joe - politics. absolutely. in his speech i she addressed politics and joe biden is on record previously as saying that she wants to get the assembly and the executive in northern allen up and the executive in northern allen up and running again. he repeated that call again in his speech but the bulk of it was about the economic opportunities and what was key as well was that these things like us investment in northern ireland and things like the transmission from the us to be led by the us special economic envoy, these will go ahead regardless. so they are not dependent on the political institutions. and i'm thinking again looking at those young people there, i don't think any of them or think about the fact that stormont was a nimble, storment is mothballed, they are pressing ahead with their lives and futures anyway and that was the message today from joe biden and he keeps

stressing. he stressed how much northern ireland meant to him and how much she of the american people and there would be there for the people of northern ireland regardless. i people of northern ireland regardless.— people of northern ireland reuardless. , ., ., regardless. i spoke to one young person earlier — regardless. i spoke to one young person earlier who _ regardless. i spoke to one young person earlier who said - regardless. i spoke to one young person earlier who said to - regardless. i spoke to one young person earlier who said to me i regardless. i spoke to one young - person earlier who said to me where it makes no difference to us if an american comes here —— michael an american comes here —— michael an american president comes here, and says there needs to be a power—sharing agreement. ultimately, at the end of the day. we have the stalemates and political problems and is caused causing wider societal problems for us.— problems for us. absolutely, but i think it's important _ problems for us. absolutely, but i think it's important to _ problems for us. absolutely, but i think it's important to bear - problems for us. absolutely, but i think it's important to bear in - problems for us. absolutely, but i | think it's important to bear in mind these are not the problems we had 25 years ago. and why there are political problems that need to be resolved in our political arena and wider societal problems around lack of opportunities and investments and around secretary nizam, our own making most of the peace, if you like, arguably the way to do this is

through this investment. of course, it would be better and politicians repeatedly, and civic leaders, have made this point that we need an executive and assembly up and ready to make us have these decisions but i think the message of a is that things were going to proceed in any case and the solutions to the stalemates here in northern ireland will ultimately come from within northern ireland. it's going to come down to the dup and the decision they make in terms of going back into the assembly. everything that goes on around this ultimately helps add to the sense of progress in the sense of things being different than they were 25 years ago. i’m sense of things being different than they were 25 years ago.— they were 25 years ago. i'm 'ust auoin to they were 25 years ago. i'm 'ust going to update i they were 25 years ago. i'm 'ust going to update our i they were 25 years ago. i'm just going to update our audiences l they were 25 years ago. i'm just. going to update our audiences on they were 25 years ago. i'm just - going to update our audiences on the images we seen there, which looked like the inside of a pub. us president, joe biden, with the irish deputy prime minister, as well as

his son hunter biden, can you help viewers out here? we think it's that humans pub but were not exactly sure which properties on the high street. i'm afraid i can actually see what you're looking out i'm afraid i'm of no use well, i'm being told it may or may not be the humans pub sub is good, it's one of the pubs on the high street in dundalk, where after a of relative well—wishers and finds who were waving the american flag, president biden went up to the barricade, shook all of their hands, we no seen images of him answering what looks like a shop next door to the pub. what looks like a shop next door to the ub. ., , , ., ~ the pub. that we believe is make humans pub _ the pub. that we believe is make humans pub and _ the pub. that we believe is make humans pub and it _ the pub. that we believe is make humans pub and it looks - the pub. that we believe is make humans pub and it looks like - the pub. that we believe is make i humans pub and it looks like some kind of sandwich shop. 0r seafood houseis kind of sandwich shop. 0r seafood house is what i mean told. the staff there look really thrilled to see them. i think is going to place an

order. forsubsets them. i think is going to place an order. for subsets listening. them. i think is going to place an order. forsubsets listening. hi them. i think is going to place an order. for subsets listening. hi how are ou. order. for subsets listening. hi how are yon good _ order. for subsets listening. hi how are you. good to _ order. for subsets listening. hi how are you. good to see _ order. for subsets listening. hi how are you. good to see her. _ whatever your ordering i got it. this is— whatever your ordering i got it. this is one _ whatever your ordering i got it. this is one. one how are you. lynn. l nn how this is one. one how are you. lynn. lynn how are _ this is one. one how are you. lynn. lynn how are you. _

so he was meeting some of the staff there at that cafe. but you do get a sense of the affection for this particular us president. who has made it very clear how proud he is of his irish heritage. he often calls himself a son of ireland. absolutely. you have to have a heart of stone not to respond to that and it's quite clear even if you think of his many engagements before he came to ireland he loves to stress his irish heritage. leftist stress his irish heritage. leftist stress his irish heritage. leftist stress his irish roots and the apartments in the his own identity. so to see him come here and share in that i just engage with people, at the

university of ulster he did stop with the crowd and invited the dignitaries and just like the pictures you seen there, you could see the excitement of people sharing stories and it was interesting earlier today, stories and it was interesting earliertoday, he stories and it was interesting earlier today, he also spoke about the english side of his family which she doesn't do as often. and spoke about the rules of the posterior scots played in the foundation in the of the united states. not often as you do that but he is aware of the settles and nuances of identity particularly in this part of the world. it's easy to see the affection in which people hold them and the regard they hold, and the support of american and many people in ireland have relatives in america

and relatives who immigrated like president bidens during the feminine. so i think people enjoy seeing those celebrated. he feminine. so i think people en'oy seeing those celebratedi seeing those celebrated. he did break away _ seeing those celebrated. he did break away from _ seeing those celebrated. he did break away from his _ seeing those celebrated. he did break away from his actual - seeing those celebrated. he did - break away from his actual prepared speech and ulster university and cracked a few drugs but ultimately, it was a carefully written speech and he stuck to it. although, he sort of indicated that she was wanting the power—sharing instalment to return and for that stalemate to be sorted out. so there were central source of nudges and hands but she was ultimately cautious. absolutely, it was clear it _ was ultimately cautious. absolutely, it was clear it was _ was ultimately cautious. absolutely, it was clear it was a _ was ultimately cautious. absolutely, it was clear it was a prepared - it was clear it was a prepared speech and the staff would've been well aware of the important new lengths of the design not to give offence. not to slip up and say the wrong thing and cause a problem

because of that. he referenced the limbo in the assembly and expressed his desire very strongly that the assembly be reinstated, he said i believe the democratic institution established by the good friday agreement is critical to northern ireland and i hope that assembly is restored. speaking to the dup leader jeffrey donaldson after he responded positively. he said one of the things he likes is that it wasn't presumptuous because the president also said it's a matter for the point people of northern ireland to decide. and that was appreciated. that said, jeffrey donaldson also said this doesn't change the political dynamic in northern

ireland. they intend to go back to the uk government. they believe there needs to be further changes in there needs to be further changes in the windsor framework and he's clear that's what needs to happen if were going to move towards the restoration of political institutions and it is because of the dup that the executive and assembly in northern ireland aren't functioning because of the post—brexit trading negotiations. although this was a very quick trip, scaled—down, because he wasn't able to address storm and. the fact remains that she has brought a level of attention to the issues, that nor the lines disregard northern ireland still faces and he has drawn to attention this part of the world and theissuesit attention this part of the world and the issues it continues to face. absolutely. 0ne the issues it continues to face. absolutely. one of the things people

in northern ireland say often is that northern ireland is only the focus of national and international attention when something bad has happened. when, for example, there was the attempted murder of the police officer about six weeks ago by distant republicans, northern ireland was in all the headlines but it wasn't in the headlines for good reasons like progress. and suddenly we have the worlds attention is very much focused on northern ireland which goes back to the fact you are making a point earlier where the young person said it doesn't have much of a difference when a president comes. it does have a difference because it turns a positive lens when a resident does, come out here. we can see and counted out the impact and the economic special envoys going to be here for a week and talk about putting in some of these things in place in terms of investments and some of what we spoke about. so it

puts northern ireland on that world stage when someone like the president of the united states goes to northern ireland and says, it shows that northern ireland stills matters and keeps the focus here in a positive way, so it does matter. i just say, he has appointed joe kennedy the third as an economic envoy and wants to make this trip about economics and trade and you and investment in northern ireland, and investment in northern ireland, a much needed, right now. but freya mcclements thank you forjoining us in all of your analysis. let's keep you there with those live pictures of dundalk in county louth where we saw president bite and enter a store, meet with some of the shopkeepers and say that cafe. he has also been meeting and lots of well—wishers on the streets in dundalk who would been through it so to see them. he took their forms off

them and stoke selfies. as he came out of the beast and the motor gate and went up to the barricade and shook hands with so many people who were waiting a there for hours for the us president to arrive. i am joined now from washington dc by former police adviser to barack 0bama, laurie watkins. thank you forjoining us. we're looking at pictures of county louth where president biden is and he is thrilled to be there and as i was saying in our coverage he does describe himself as the son of ireland and wears it very proudly. yes he does. thank you for having me today. i yes he does. thank you for having me toda . , ., ., ~ ., ., ., today. i 'ust want to know and get a sense today. i just want to know and get a sense of how _ today. i just want to know and get a sense of how this _ today. i just want to know and get a sense of how this is _ today. i just want to know and get a sense of how this is being _ today. i just want to know and get a sense of how this is being received | sense of how this is being received in the us. our people watching this? are what's the coverage like? the

coveraue are what's the coverage like? the coverage has _ are what's the coverage like? iie: coverage has been are what's the coverage like? "iie: coverage has been great are what's the coverage like? i““ie: coverage has been great here are what's the coverage like? iie: coverage has been great here in the united states and i would like to point out for those who said what is the point for americans to see president biden visiting ireland, northern ireland? i would tell you that one in ten americans associate with irish heritage stuff that's about 30 million americans and i would also go on to point that in some of these important battleground states in which biden will be focusing on during his election campaign, michigan, pennsylvania, wisconsin for example, you have huge populations of irish american who have strong affinity to irish america and would be interested in seeing this president over in northern ireland and ireland to train broke help civilised the political situation over there. but the political divide traditions are good for him in the us as well. the

economic advantages accompanying american companies bidding up shop and put in a friend print on northern ireland are huge opportunities and one that she hopes he can shine a light on and encourage those who are trying to continue to work on this peace agreement to come together and get the deal done. he agreement to come together and get the deal done-— the deal done. he has made this as much about — the deal done. he has made this as much about economics _ the deal done. he has made this as much about economics and - the deal done. he has made this as much about economics and trade i the deal done. he has made this as| much about economics and trade as the politics, hasn't he? by bringing a economic envoy injoe kennedy the third with him. he wants to also make it clear that the united states is very much interested in bringing in us investments.— in us investments. absolutely. i think it's important _ in us investments. absolutely. i think it's important for - in us investments. absolutely. i think it's important for the i think it's important for the northern ireland legislature that his dedication to understand that if they were to move forward, there are huge opportunities that they don't want to miss out on or not be a part of. the longer this continues to

drag out, the irish people, the people living in northern ireland as well as those living in europe, as well as those living in europe, as well as those here in the united states, portrait versus, everyone suffers, so the quicker it deal can be done it would be betterfor everyone. in be done it would be better for everyone-— be done it would be better for eve one. ._ �*, , everyone. in many ways, he's using the ship not — everyone. in many ways, he's using the ship notjust — everyone. in many ways, he's using the ship notjust to _ everyone. in many ways, he's using the ship notjust to speak— everyone. in many ways, he's using the ship notjust to speak to - everyone. in many ways, he's using the ship notjust to speak to the i the ship notjust to speak to the international community and europeans and those in northern ireland and also the republic of ireland. he is using it to speak to americans. you know, where about one year out from campaigning getting really under way. and he is often spoken about irishness and how much of that is in his character being a focusing on middle—class americans, working—class americans to some people who work extremely hard and he is like in that to on family heritage, his ancestry, which goes back to ireland.— back to ireland. yes, the irish eo - le back to ireland. yes, the irish people are — back to ireland. yes, the irish people are a _ back to ireland. yes, the irish people are a tough _ back to ireland. yes, the irish people are a tough people i back to ireland. yes, the irish i people are a tough people from what i understand and from history books

you can see that tremendously. and joe biden doesn't miss a beat to bring up his irish heritage and how he was raised in scranton pennsylvania and how he instilled these values into his own children raising them in delaware and i think it's important to the average american voter. the american electorate here who is not comprised of mostly elitist, they are blue, white, colour working folks who are not privy to the nepotism, etc etc. they are people what to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. things were handed to them or given to them like some people that continue to benefit from tax breaks and owning corporations. he is a person that did things on his own but also through help from other people by asking for help and he is a scrappy, scrappy man. who was instilled these values in his storytelling but he's also a very

good negotiator, whether it is