US:HILLARY CLINTON has promised to visit Ireland during her first term as president and proposed a system of bonds to raise millions of dollars from Irish-Americans for economic development in the North.
Addressing an Irish-American Presidential Forum in New York, Mrs Clinton said she would be a committed friend of Ireland and an active supporter of the political institutions in the North.
"I want you to know you can count on me. This is not just a pledge or a promise, it's a passion," she said.
The former first lady said she had already discussed with the North's political leaders her idea of issuing "Irish bonds" similar to the State of Israel bonds that have raised more than $26 billion for the Jewish state over the past 60 years.
"Many Irish-Americans want to continue supporting the people of Ireland, all of Ireland and there are a lot of infrastructure needs. And of course, as devolution takes place, as I understand it, funding from Westminster declines. So this is a place where the Irish-American community could be particularly important," she said.
"I believe it could provide a steady revenue stream that could support the kind of investments that will in turn support the legitimacy and credibility of the government." The forum was held at the Madison Avenue offices of Adrian Flannelly's Irish Radio Network, which broadcast the event live.
Introducing Mrs Clinton, Mr Flannelly paid tribute to the involvement of both Mrs Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, in the peace process in the North. "Were it not for the Clintons, there would be no Good Friday Agreement and there would be no peace in Northern Ireland," he said.
Organised by New York lawyer and former Bronx assemblyman John Dearie, the Irish-American Presidential Forum has been a regular part of US presidential campaigns since 1984, when Walter Mondale took part in the first event.
Mr Clinton attended the forum in 1992 and Al Gore took part in 1996 and 2000 but no forum was held in 2004. Mr Dearie has offered to hold separate forums in the coming months to host Barack Obama and John McCain.
Later yesterday, Mr Clinton was due to be honoured for his contribution to the Good Friday Agreement at an event in New York hosted by the Emerald Isle immigration centre and the Brehon Law Society.
Irish-Americans form the second-biggest ethnic group in Pennsylvania, accounting for 17.6 per cent of the population in the state, which holds the next Democratic primary on April 22nd.
Mrs Clinton's record on Northern Ireland has become an issue in the presidential campaign, as the Obama campaign accused her of exaggerating her role.
Former first minister David Trimble dismissed the former first lady's role as that of a "cheerleader", but former SDLP leader John Hume, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern have praised her contribution.
"For me, a lot of it was working at the grassroots, working below the level of leadership with people as they lived and worked in the various communities," Mrs Clinton said yesterday. "I particularly believe that part of what we did there over the years was to create the conditions for peace on the ground, something that was essential. You know, leaders can attempt to forge peace but they must have the backing and understanding of those upon whom the peace will descend and they are taking actions for those who may not understand or follow their leadership"
Mrs Clinton has committed to appointing a special envoy to the North who would be based in the White House rather than in the state department, as has been the case under George Bush.
"We have come so far, now we need to deal with the remaining issues on the table. That's why it's important to have a special envoy who reports directly to me rather than having to go up and down the chain of command in the state department. Having an envoy will signal my personal commitment that it's not something farmed out to the appropriate desk officer in the state department," she said.
Pledging to lend personal support and the diplomatic resources of the US to help resolve the outstanding issues in the North, including the transfer of policing and justice powers, Mrs Clinton said she would also convene a White House conference on trade between the US and Ireland within two years of coming to office.
