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The Taoiseach and US Vice-President speaking as they pose for photographers outside her residence in Washington DC Alamy Stock Photo

Varadkar says Gaza crisis will 'haunt us for years to come' at breakfast meeting with Harris

Varadkar is continuing on to the White House to meet President Joe Biden.

LAST UPDATE | 15 Mar 2024

THE TAOISEACH HAS said that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza will “haunt us for years to come” as he visited the residence of the US Vice-President on his trip to Washington DC.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s St Patrick’s Day tour itinerary brought him to the residence of President Joe Biden’s second-in-command Kamala Harris, where the pair met over breakfast.

Both had complimentary words for each other, with Varadkar praising the US for “trying to bring about” an end to the war in Gaza – despite its ongoing military support for Israel.

Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff greeted Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett outside the residence this morning, which is also known as the Naval Observatory.

Addressing guests inside the house, Varadkar commended Harris for speaking in favour of a ceasefire, saying she showed “great courage and leadership”.

“Like you, we call for the unconditional and immediate release of all of the hostages, a very significant increase in humanitarian aid, food, medicine, sanitation, electricity and an end to the fighting by both sides, Israel and Hamas and we support the work of the United States in trying to bring that about,” he said.

“There is a terrible humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, a very human tragedy which I think will haunt us all for years to come,” he told the room.

“In Ireland, we know how quickly atrocities can lead to calls for vengeance, creating new cycles of hatred and bitterness. But we also know that the cycle can be broken and a new hope can replace old hatreds.

“The United States helped us to find peace. Now, let us work together to build just and lasting peace in the Middle East for Israel, Palestine and its Arab neighbours.”

In her remarks, Vice-President Harris called the Taoiseach “a global leader”.

She praised Ireland’s acceptance of Ukrainian refugees and said Varadkar was “leading by example”.

“Under your leadership, Ireland has hosted one of the highest per capita populations of Ukrainian refugees, a testament to the generosity and the compassion of the Irish people,” she said.

She said Varadkar was “courageous in the fight for women’s reproductive freedom” and commented on how Ireland was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage via referendum.

She made only short reference to Gaza, saying: “Regarding the conflict in the Middle East, driven by Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack, Ireland has been a leader in providing food, water and medicine to the people of Gaza.”

Varadkar is now bound for the White House where he is due to meet President Joe Biden.

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14 Comments
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    Mute Early Cuyler
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:13 PM

    The idea that THC is bad also takes away from our understanding and the medicinal potential.

    180
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    Mute Record Sunshine
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:52 PM

    Heaven forbid that cannabis might leave the reefer madness era behind once and for all and be a mainstream product of benefit for millions of people. Keeping people drugged up on legal prescription drugs seems to be perfectly acceptable, though. A smoke definitely does one good after a hefty Christmas dinner, anyway. Celebrations, here I come .

    149
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    Mute Karl Charlie
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:16 PM

    @Record Sunshine: legal prescription drugs make money for big pharma but the suggestion of taking money off them by using cbd is like askin ffg to pay their dail bar bill never gonna happen

    74
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    Mute Clare McAfee
    Favourite Clare McAfee
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:43 PM

    @Karl Charlie: start taking to the Gov about tax income, more jobs, and votes, and they might listen a little less to pharma industry pressure..

    32
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    Mute Clare McAfee
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:40 PM

    No research in this area? Someone had better tell the state of Florida quick. Licenses are applied for to the state, and granted on the basis of scientific research. Several of my friends in the US with chronic pain apply to the state they live in for a licence and a week later are down at the dispensary collecting a medical grade product. Give up the “no research” excuse, chronic pain patients are sick of hearing it.

    112
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    Mute Emer Caffrey
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    Dec 27th 2019, 10:15 AM

    @Clare McAfee: just ask the patients who’ve benefited from it when nothing else worked

    21
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    Mute Conall
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    Dec 28th 2019, 2:16 AM

    @Emer Caffrey: Individual reports are not a reliable way of determinining the efficacy of a medication. This can only be done through properly designed trials.

    2
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    Mute John Brendan Mullen
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:19 PM

    Headline should read, if we sell CBD/THC the shareholders in the big pharmaceutical companies might receive lower dividends.

    106
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    Mute Mike Murphy
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:23 PM

    @John Brendan Mullen: that’s the big problem…something you can grow at home can have health benefits that you wont be spending money on prescription drugs the big players dont like that

    72
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    Mute John Black
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    Dec 27th 2019, 3:12 PM

    @John Brendan Mullen: the people who hold most of the patents for Cannabis based medicinal products are the big pharmaceutical companies so please remove your tinfoil hat

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    Mute Vincent McDermott
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    Dec 28th 2019, 8:03 AM

    @John Black: Quiet the opposite, pharmaceutical companies have been looking at cannabinoids for years. With stricter regulators in the Pharma industry, safety and efficacy data must be proven. This is not the case with the natural health sector who can make claims for cures without proper research.

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    Mute Mike Murphy
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:09 PM

    The plant is given to us from the earth…has so many benefits.. why live in 1950s ireland and not legalise it…has so much revenue to be made from it..and on the medical side it helps alot of people

    67
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    Mute HearMeNow33
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    Dec 27th 2019, 12:20 PM

    @Mike Murphy: You had me on the first line of your comment…. Totally agree.

    2
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    Mute Pat Conners
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:35 PM

    I live in the neatherlands.. as everyone knows smoking a joint is tolerated. Outside of the stigma of drug use it is well known in Holland that sufferers of cancer and MS will suffer less as a result of marijuana..THC is what gets you high..CBD is what apparently cures many ailments..this story seems to glorify pharmaceutical cures that are for sure 10fold more expensive than a plant.

    75
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    Mute Arragh Sure
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:08 PM

    Rubbish. If they make cannibas available for pain as it is everywhere else and quit acting like there is no evidence of anything about cannibas they may show some brains as a government. Then again.

    111
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    Mute ihcalaM
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:24 PM

    @Arragh Sure: Yeah but there’s a difference between cannabis being used for pain (legitimately) and the quacks promoting it as a cure for every disease under the Sun.

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    Mute Arragh Sure
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:33 PM

    @ihcalaM: That is true. There is also an acute difference between people suffering and waiting on opiates which is the issue here. Not as acute as not giving a fiddlers and acquiring it anyway ^_^

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    Mute Audrey Muddiman
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:46 PM

    Probably the only sensible response on. Social media I have seen thus far. Anyone saying there’s of research etc doesn’t consider the side effects. Do we seriously need another under research product on the market just because it might suit the vested interests to push it through

    8
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    Mute Fachtna Roe
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:12 PM

    @Audrey Muddiman: It’s been researched for the last 5,000 years.

    53
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    Mute Brendan Greene
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:25 PM

    @Fachtna Roe: no. It hasn’t. We are talking about peer reviewed research trials using controls and placebos. Commercial pressure is not a good environment for proper research.

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    Mute Arragh Sure
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    Dec 27th 2019, 4:14 AM

    @Audrey Muddiman: I am stunned (not) to see that the empirical evidence available for its good side effects in treating various ailments has thus far eluded you.

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    Mute Brian Conway
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    Dec 27th 2019, 7:40 AM

    @Audrey Muddiman: what do you think the yanks don’t do research?? There’s masses of research been done. Masses

    11
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    Mute Clare McAfee
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    Dec 27th 2019, 8:45 AM

    @Audrey Muddiman: tell that to my chronic pain friends in the US with their State-granted medical cannabis licenses, based on scientific research (their consultant sends research in with their application). The license isn’t granted without it. Of course there’s side effects, of course it won’t work for everyone, but like any other drug it’s about the RIGHT to access. Let’s just sit here while the US make it legal on a federal basis.. it’ll happen. I spent 2 months in Colorado where it’s legal recreationally and medically – saying you can’t have access to regulated cannabis is like saying off you go to the pub and you’ve no idea what’s in your drink.. Strict laws re driving and public nuisance in CO, and I didn’t once see any incident. Did see cannabis in house window boxes a lot..

    12
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Dec 27th 2019, 2:13 PM

    @Arragh Sure: You are wrong and I know people who moved states in the US to use cannabis as medication.
    “Drugs Are Bad” line is killing the use of a non toxic drug.
    Big Pharma are stopping it until they get their artificial alternative right as the type on the market at the moment is lethal.
    There are thousands of studies and reports showing the good CBD does with a touch of THC in it.

    3
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Dec 27th 2019, 2:15 PM

    @Audrey Muddiman: Pushing through a product you can grow yourself.

    2
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Dec 27th 2019, 2:15 PM

    @Brendan Greene: It has been researched and thats why it is legal in a lot of states and countries like Canada.

    2
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    Mute Vincent McDermott
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    Dec 28th 2019, 8:07 AM

    @Gary Kearney: most active ingredients in Pharma is from natural products

    1
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    Mute Damien Barton
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    Dec 26th 2019, 10:11 PM

    Like antibiotics but keep selling away on them do

    27
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    Mute EdmundOrlando
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    Dec 26th 2019, 11:37 PM

    5htp is also a good cure all derived from plants thats legalised.. better than any anti depressant out there with minimal side effects!

    20
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    Mute Emer Caffrey
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    Dec 27th 2019, 10:19 AM

    @EdmundOrlando: very interesting, first time I’ve heard of it. Can it be taken with anti depressants?

    3
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    Mute Mary Morrisey
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    Dec 27th 2019, 10:45 AM

    @Emer Caffrey: No, just as St. John’s Wort can’t. 5HTP is not legally sold in Ireland.

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    Mute Vincent McDermott
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    Dec 28th 2019, 8:12 AM

    @Mary Morrisey: St John’s Wort has moved to prescription as it was shown to be a chemical disrupted I believe, and can interefer with things like the contraceptive pill

    1
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    Mute HearMeNow33
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    Dec 27th 2019, 12:26 PM

    I miss having a joint. Off it now 3.25 years. I know the day and date i stoped smoking it. No particular reason but drug driving laws were looming, not that i smoked while driving but i loved sitting down at night after work in front of tv and relaxing.. Preferred it to alcohol. Last drink i had was July… I never gave it up… I’m just on a break..

    11
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    Mute Perlum Sprite
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    Dec 27th 2019, 11:56 AM

    I would allow people to grow it at home, perhaps 2 plants.

    8
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    Mute Tommy Sea
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    Dec 27th 2019, 1:46 AM

    I feel violated, my human rights trampled on, because of the way it is now.

    7
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    Mute Deirdre Howard
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    Dec 27th 2019, 1:49 PM

    I drink CBD coffee and find it relaxed me.i love it. The coffee tastes great to

    4
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    Mute aidan mccormack
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    Dec 27th 2019, 7:04 AM

    @Anna69axx: nice try… you probably have big balls than I do.

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    Mute Real Online Career
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    Jun 13th 2020, 2:00 PM

    CBD can be useful in treating depression – read about CBD and Depression at https://mjgrow.weebly.com/home/cbd-and-depression

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    Mute Paul Dooley
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    Dec 27th 2019, 11:56 PM

    Time to test what they are selling

    Something is wrong when i saw it’s for sale in a tiny shopping center in sham town or which has 4 viable shops and a pop up shops all over the country

    Are these not the head shops back again wake up cal

    So it’s more profitable than everything else

    How much profit is out of it and is it addictive

    In 10 years time there will be an enquiry into it

    1
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