than a year, because the democratic unionist party, the biggest party which wants to keep northern ireland in the uk, is vetoing the formation of the power sharing coalition because of its concerns over brexit trade barriers with the rest of the uk. setting that aside, when you look back at the last 25 years, the change in northern ireland has been remarkable. the level of political balance has dramatically reduced to the extent that it is relatively rare now, so coming after a bitter sectarian conflict that lasted three decades, and cost the lives of three and half thousand people, it has been a very successful, peace process, most would say. the president biden is likely to again reflect on that, the fact that it was a peace process that benefits the whole island of ireland. most of ireland in northern ireland but the republic was touched by the conflict as well. so we can expect him to talk about that. with regard to the major conflict in the world today, ukraine, that has
as well. so we can expect him to talk about that. with regard to the major conflict in the world today, ukraine, that has come up in talks between president biden and the taoiseach, leo varadkar this afternoon so it is likely to touch on how he sees the role of small nations like ireland in that whole situation. also likely, i think, to talk about the fact that ireland has taken more 80,000 refugees from ukraine. and to think the people of ireland for that. the bigger picture ties between us and ireland which go back generations. i would be very surprised if we did not hear more details of president biden s owned family background. the finnegan s and six blewitts. the sort of people who you would suppose are very much