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Mike Pence began the second day of his first official visit to Ireland by meeting the President Michael D Higgins.<\/p>\nMike Pence began the second day of his first official visit to Ireland by meeting the President Michael D Higgins.<\/p>\n
The US vice president was accompanied by his wife Karen, his mother Nancy Pence-Fritsch and his sister Ann Poynter as they were greeted by the president and his wife Sabina at their official residence in Dublin.<\/p>\n
The engagement at Aras an Uachtarain came ahead of Mr Pence\u2019s meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the city later on Tuesday. The Pence family had traveled to Dublin from Shannon Airport on Air Force Two after spending their first night on their Irish visit in Doonbeg, Co Clare.<\/p>\n
Mr Higgins and his wife escorted Mr Pence and his wife Karen to the state dining room of the Aras on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
The US vice president greeted the press before signing the guest book.<\/p>\n
He wrote: \u201cIn the memory of a great Irishman, Richard Michael Cawley (Mr Pence\u2019s maternal grandfather) and on behalf of the United States of America \u2013 we are delighted to be back in Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Pence and Mr Higgins were expected to discuss multilateral co-operation to address climate action, Brexit and its impact on Ireland as well as human rights and equality issues.<\/p>\n
Other topics were anticipated to include Northern Ireland and modern challenges of migration.<\/p>\n
On Monday night, he stayed at US President Donald Trump\u2019s family golf resort at Doonbeg, an area where his family has ancestral links.<\/p>\n
Touching down at Shannon Airport earlier on Monday, Mr Pence pledged that his country will play a constructive role over Brexit, ahead of his scheduled meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson later this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will be in the UK meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in just a few days but I think the opportunity to better understand Ireland\u2019s perspective and unique needs, particularly with regard to the northern border, will make us even better equipped to hopefully play a constructive role that when Brexit occurs, it will occur in a way that reflects stability and addresses the unique relationship between the UK and the Republic of Ireland,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Pence\u2019s visit comes just months after Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited Ireland.<\/p>\n