Mary Lou McDonald talks with trade union leaders, business & Irish community

Focuses on change and opportunity in Ireland

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has held a series of engagements in San Francisco addressing more than 300 trade union leaders and activists at the San Francisco Labour Council, meeting political representatives, holding discussions with senior executives at Google and will meet leaders at Salesforce tomorrow as well as addressing an event with Irish sporting and cultural organisations at Pairc na nGael in Treasure Island. The Sinn Féin leader also attended a briefing organised by the Irish Consul General to San Francisco Micheál Smith with Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, Screen Ireland and Tourism Ireland and met with Gerard de Graaf who heads the new European Commission office in San Francisco.

Ms. McDonald said, “Over the last two days I have engaged with trade union leaders, political representatives, senior executives in Google, the Irish Consul, state enterprise and tourism agencies and the wider Irish Community. I have been hugely encouraged by the deep and ongoing support within the US for Ireland and the opportunities to build on this relationship in the time ahead. The focus of our discussions has been about the seismic change happening in Ireland and how twenty five years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement we plan for the future, including referendums on Irish re-unification and preparing for constitutional change.

“Ireland is a place of innovation with great talent and is a place of huge opportunities. We need to realize that potential and ensure that the Ireland we build has fairness and equality at its core. We have many common objectives – the provision of good jobs, supporting working people under pressure in the midst of a cost of living crisis and delivering affordable homes.”