US President George W Bush called for an end to political violence in Northern Ireland today in a St. Patrick's Day meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern at the White House.
Mr Bush also confirmed his first official visit to Ireland "I look forward this summer to visiting Ireland for the EU and US summit, to strengthen the essential partnership between the United States and Europe," Mr Bush said.
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The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, presents US President George W Bush with a traditional bowl of shamrock in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Mr Bush later attended a St. Patrick's Day lunch on Capitol Hill. Photo: Reuters / Jason Reed
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The Government has already confirmed the visit will take place from June 25th-26th before Mr Bush attends a NATO summit in Brussels.
Mr Bush spoke at a St Patrick's Day ceremony with Mr Ahern, who presented the president and his wife, Laura, with the traditional bowl of shamrock.
Mr Bush and Ahern said their thoughts were with the people of Spain in the wake of a suspected al Qaeda bombing last week that killed 200 people.
"Terrorism is an affront to our democracies. It strikes at the heart of all the values of which the United States and European Union are founded. And we're determined to ensure that our peoples are protected from this despicable scourge," Mr Ahern said.
Mr Bush called for a "permanent end to all political violence" in Northern Ireland.
"There's no place for paramilitaries in a democratic society," he said.