(CNSNews.com) - Leo Varadkar, the gay Taoiseach—or prime minister—of Ireland, celebrated St. Patrick Day's with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris by attending a breakfast convened at the Vice President’s official residence in Washington, D.C.
Harris concluded her introduction of Varadkar by toasting him and his partner, Matthew Barrett. “I will now raise a glass to toast the Taoiseach, Mr. Barrett, and all of you on St. Patrick’s Day,” she said. “Cheers.”
“As we come together this St. Patrick’s Day morning in the breaking of bread, we enact what is a most ancient and enduring expression of friendship honored across cultures,” Taoiseach Varadker said in his remarks after Harris’s toast.
“So, thank you very much, Madam Vice President, for inviting Matt and me to be here in your beautiful home and for continuing that very special tradition which was initiated by President Biden when he was resident here,” he said.
The Irish Taoiseach then used his St. Patrick’s Day speech in the Washington, D.C. residence of the U.S. vice president to focus on homosexual marriage.
“As doctors and as proud members of the LGBT community, allow us to say how inspired we’ve been by your personal advocacy for marriage equality, particularly in relation to Proposition 8, and also your defense of the Affordable Health Care Act,” said Varadkar.
Proposition 8 was a state ballot initiative in California in 2008 that outlawed same-sex marriage in the state. Harris opposed it; California voters approved it; it was eventually overturned by a federal court.
“From—from Stonewall to Sacramento to San Francisco, America has led the way when it comes to LGBT equality,” said this Irish president in D.C. on St. Patrick’s Day. “I don’t think I would be here today were it not for what America did. And I know you’ve been such a strong ally for our community in that regard. Thank you for that.
St. Patrick, who was born in Scotland in 387, was commissioned by Pope Celestine I in the fifth century to focus on converting the people of Ireland to the Catholic faith.
He is believed to have died on March 17, 461—thus, March 17 is now celebrated as his feast day.
President Biden celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by sending out a tweet that said: “My mom always said, ‘Being Irish is about faith, family, and courage.’ Happy St. Patrick’s Day!”
Here is the full text of gay Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s pro-same-sex marriage speech celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at the U.S. Vice President’s Residence:
Taoiseach Varadkar: “Good morning, everyone. Vice President Harris; Second Gentleman, Mr. Doug Emhoff; distinguished guests and friends. As we come together this St. Patrick’s Day morning in the breaking of bread, we enact what is a most ancient and enduring expression of friendship honored across cultures.
“So, thank you very much, Madam Vice President, for inviting Matt and me to be here in your beautiful home and for continuing that very special tradition which was initiated by President Biden when he was resident here.
“As doctors and as proud members of the LGBT community, allow us to say how inspired we’ve been by your personal advocacy for marriage equality, particularly in relation to Proposition 8, and also your defense of the Affordable Health Care Act.
“From—from Stonewall to Sacramento to San Francisco, America has led the way when it comes to LGBT equality. I don’t think I would be here today were it not for what America did. And I know you’ve been such a strong ally for our community in that regard. Thank you for that.
“I also want to recognize your role in defending the Affordable Health Care Act in particular. And we’ve a similar program in Ireland called Sláintecare. We’re abolishing hospital charges; capping the cost of prescription medicines; abolishing doctor fees—doctor’s fees for children, for seniors, and for those on modest incomes; and we’re phasing out private practice in public hospitals.
“So, I think on those agendas, we have much in common and also much to do.
“This year, as you know, we’re marking many anniversaries in Ireland: 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, 50 years since we joined the European Union, and 100 years since we joined the League of Nations.
“And the international landscape has changed dramatically in the sweep of time. For Ireland, however, one relationship has endured throughout: our close and deep bond with these United States. And we’re always grateful for that.
“So, Madam Vice President, today I want to acknowledge the central role which the U.S. has played in the peace process on our island, driving it forward at critical points, when few others had the influence to do so.
“To mark this, Madam Vice President, my delegation and I are presenting you with an Irish silver bell as a token of our appreciation and as an emblem of the principles that our countries hold dear: peace and freedom.
“Of course, I’m also conscious of the special resonance that a bell has here in the United States, with the world-renowned Liberty Bell, a symbol of your freedom and independence, of hope and equality—principles that will inspire us for the next 25 years.
“As we look to the future, the agreement reached between the EU and the UK, which you mentioned earlier — the Wes- — the Windsor Framework — has the potential to restore very good relations between Ireland and the UK, and to restore relations and institutions of the Good Friday Agreement: the All Party Assembly, the power-sharing Executive, and the North/South Ministerial Council.
“It should also hop-—help to open a new chapter in relations between the EU and the UK.
“We’re not quite there yet. But I think with good faith on all sides—and we have that—and the help of our continuing friends here in America, we can get there.
Madam Vice President, as we work to underpin peace in Ireland, we cannot be struck by its abs- —cannot not be struck by its absence in other parts of the world.
“And most especially, we think of the extraordinarily brave people of Ukraine, who’ve endured more than a year of suffering at the hands of Russian invaders. And we stand with them for as long as it takes.
“Russia’s war is a threat to the international order on which we all rely. It’s an affront to human decency. And we will work together to hold its perpetrators to account.
"And again, I want to thank you for the leadership that the U.S. has shown on this issue. And thank you, Madam Vice President, on behalf of Ireland and all of Europe, for your leadership on this most important matter.
“Go raibh míle maith agaibh. Thank you again for the very warm welcome, for your kind hospitality here.
“La Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh go leir. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all. Thank you.”