Obama 'wants to visit Ireland'

Barack Obama wants to visit Ireland, the new ambassador to the Republic of Ireland has said.

Daniel M Rooney, whose family comes from Newry, County Down, presented his letters of credence to President Mary McAleese on Friday.

He said that the US president wanted to come and that "when things settle down, he definitely would plan it".

But, he said that because President Obama's schedule was "so full" it was "difficult to see" when it would be.

He said they had discussed the possibility that Mr Obama could include Ireland on his foreign itinerary, possibly on the return leg of a trip.

Mr Rooney, chairman of the current Super Bowl champions the Pittsburgh Steelers, was one of the founders of the American-Ireland Funds.

He added that he had no views about who the new administration should appoint to succeed Paula Dobriansky as US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, but the Irish embassy would work with whoever the president chose for the job.

He said he was "honoured" at being selected as the ambassador and was "very pleased" to be in Ireland.