Tánaiste Simon Harris has said the Government's "working assumption" is that the annual St Patrick's Day meeting between the Taoiseach and the US president at the White House will still take place, despite officials still waiting for confirmation of the event.
Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings this afternoon Mr Harris, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, repeated the stated Government position that no formal invitation is normally issued.
Instead, the Tánaiste said the White House meeting is usually announced as part of the sitting US president's own schedule, saying the "working assumption" is that the meeting between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and US President Donald Trump will still take place.
"Planning is very much proceeding on the basis that the regular St Patrick's Day schedule in Washington, DC will be in place again this year.
"There isn't generally a moment where an invitation arrives, it's generally announced as part of the president of the day's schedule.
"But the working assumption is that the visit will be proceeding.
"Indeed, it'll be our main visit to the United States, it will be one of our main visits right across the United States from the east coast to the west coast promoting our country, and I expect the Taoiseach will have an opportunity to meet US President Trump," the Tánaiste said.
While the official position from Government is that the White House meeting will still take place and that no issue exists, there are private concerns over the lack of confirmation of the meeting to date.
The White House meeting traditionally takes place in the days leading up to St Patrick's Day itself, meaning should it take place this will be in around a fortnight's time - meaning the lack of a formal confirmation so far is receiving increasing attention.
Over the weekend, Sinn Féin confirmed that it will not be travelling to Washington, DC due to "very dangerous, very threatening rhetoric" from President Trump, specifically regarding Gaza.
The Sinn Féin move followed a similar announcement by the SDLP in recent weeks, and echoes calls from a number of other Dáil Opposition parties.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, however, said the party was not calling for the Taoiseach not to attend a bilateral meeting with Mr Trump.
She said the White House events were essentially a bilateral between the Taoiseach of the day and the US president which offers an opportunity to set out the Irish position.
