President Biden urges return of powersharing after visit to Irish president

US President Joe Biden has reiterated his hopes for the return of powersharing in Northern Ireland as he rang the symbolic Peace Bell in the grounds of the Irish president’s official residence in Dublin.

Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament on Thursday as part of his trip to the island of Ireland which began north of the border.

On Thursday morning, Mr Biden was greeted at Áras an Uachtaráin by his Irish counterpart Michael D Higgins.

Together they rang the Peace Bell which is stands at the Irish president’s official residence in Phoenix Park.

It was erected in 2008 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

After ringing the bell four time, Mr Biden stopped to tell reporters: “I hope that the government begins to function as it used to in terms of functioning as a representative body in the north.

“I think that’s necessary and that’s for you all to decide, not for me to decide.”

The US president, who visited Belfast on Wednesday as part of a trip to mark the 25th anniversary of the peace accord, referenced former US senator George Mitchell, who chaired the negotiations which led to the agreement.

“I’m very proud of my colleague George Mitchell. He did a fine job. He said 300 days of failure, one day of success. We have got to build on that one day," said the US President.

Joe Biden was greeted with a guard of honour Credit: Brian Lawless/PA

Mr Biden is expected to later set out a “shared vision” for the future of US-Irish relations when he addresses both Houses of the Oireachtas.

He also met Irish premier Leo Varadkar at Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park.

Mr Biden, who was joined by an official delegation that included US secretary of state Antony Blinken, was met with cheers from onlookers as his motorcade entered the park for his meeting with the Irish president.

Arriving at Áras an Uachtaráin with the sun shining down, the US president was met by Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina.

Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina during the welcome Credit: Brian Lawless/PA

It was Mr Biden’s third visit to the residence, but his first as president.

“It’s a pleasure to be back,” Mr Biden told Mr Higgins.

After signing the visitors’ book in the historic State Reception Room, Mr Biden told the waiting media that he had referenced an Irish proverb: “Your feet will bring you where your heart is.”

He also quipped: “I’m not going home. Isn’t this an incredible place? All you American reporters, it’s just like the White House, right?”