The Taoiseach has paid tribute to the US Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
Leo Varadkar was speaking at the Ireland Funds Gala Dinner in Washington, which this year honoured Speaker Pelosi.
The Taoiseach praised Ms Pelosi for her support of the Good Friday Agreement in the context of a future post-Brexit trade deal between the US and the UK.
He also thanked other members of the US Congress including Richard Neal and Peter King for their support.
Leo Varadkar paid tribute to citizenship campaigner Emma DeSouza who was at the event.
Ms DeSouza is challenging a requirement that she renounce her British citizenship before she can legally identify as Irish and has accused the British government of failing to give domestic legal effect to the birthright provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Taoiseach said that a priority for the new Irish government will be to work with the restored Northern Ireland Executive to help re-energise the economic relationships on the island of Ireland.
"A first step will be an early meeting of the North South Ministerial Council," he said.
