Ireland is sending ‘representatives of the State’ to 40 locations around the world as part of the St Patrick’s Day programme this year.
37 Ministers, the Chairs of the Dáil and Seanad and the Attorney General will be travelling to “promote Ireland as a place to invest, visit, work or study” this St Patrick’s Day.
Cabinet Ministers signed off on the full programme put forward by Tánaiste and Trade Minister Simon Harris today which sees Irish representatives travel to 90 cities across 40 countries.
10 of those appointed to travel will go to the US – including the Taoiseach and Tánaiste - launching a charm offensive on the newly elected President Donald Trump.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will travel to Texas and Washington where he will meet President Trump at the White House for the traditional shamrock exchange.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar presents US President Joe Biden with a bowl shamrocks during a St Patrick's Day reception at the White House, 17-3-23. Image: dpa picture alliance / AlamyMeanwhile, Tánaiste Simon Harris will make his way to Philadelphia and New York.
Education Minister Helen McEntee is off to Australia, while the Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is heading for Germany.
The overall message for this year’s exodus is “promoting Ireland’s economy, celebrating our diaspora and engaging with our partners.
The Government said the representatives will “focus on the ambitions outlined in the Programme for Government, emphasising Ireland’s outlook and attractiveness as a small, open trading economy, with our economic success rooted in this openness and our willingness to build partnerships”.
The White House fountain is died green to celebrate St Patricks Day, 17-03-2022. Image: Adam Schultz/White House PhotoMinisters will aim to “promote Irish investment overseas, international research and education collaborations, mutually beneficial partnerships between Irish and overseas companies and the successes and growth of overseas companies that have chosen Ireland as their base in Europe”.
“The St Patrick’s Day programme offers an unparalleled opportunity to build relationships with key political and business leaders, decision makers, and cultural and academic partners,” a press release said.
St Patrick's Day Parade, Fifth Avenue, New York. Image: AlamyThe programme will also offer opportunities to “communicate the consistent, principled and constructive approach” that characterises Ireland’s foreign policy; “to celebrate Ireland’s contemporary and traditional arts, culture and heritage”; and “to highlight the achievements and impact” of Ireland’s Global Ireland strategy.
The opposition has raised questions about the American trips – with People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett saying Ireland shouldn’t “bend the knee” to Donald Trump who he described on The Pat Kenny Show as a bully.
Staying at home to steer the ship will be Martin Heydon, Michael Moynihan and Michael Healy Rae.
People out enjoying St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin City centre. 17/03/2022 Pic Stephen Collins/Collins PhotosThe full list of ministerial trips is below:
- Taoiseach Micheál Martin | US - Texas and Washington DC
- Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs - Simon Harris | US - Philadelphia and New York
- Minister for Transport - Darragh O’Brien | US - Miami and Los Angeles
- Minister for Enterprise - Peter Burke | US - Boston and New Hampshire
- Minister for Social Protection - Dara Calleary | US - Atlanta and Savannah
- Minister for Arts and Media - Patrick O’Donovan | US - Seattle and San Francisco
- Minister for Health - Jennifer Carroll McNeill | US - New York and Chicago
- Attorney General - Rossa Fanning | US - Michigan and Montana
- Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise - Alan Dillon | Canada - Vancouver and US - Utah
- Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture - Timmy Dooley | Canada
- Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation - Jack Chambers | Chile and Argentina
- Minister of State at the Department of Transport - Sean Canney | Brazil
- Minister of State for Sport - Charlie McConalogue | Colombia
- Minister of State at the Department of Justice - Niall Collins | Mexico
- Minister for Finance - Paschal Donohoe | Germany
- Minister for Children, Disability and Equality - Norma Foley | England - London
- Minister for Education - Helen McEntee | Australia
- Minister for Justice - Jim O’Callaghan | Malta and Italy
- Minister for Housing - James Browne | China
- Minister for Further and Higher Education - James Lawless | India
- Government Chief Whip - Mary Butler | Denmark and Sweden
- Minister of State for Disability - Hildegarde Naughton | Japan
- Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture - Noel Grealish | Vietnam and Cambodia
- Minister of State for European Affairs - Thomas Byrne | France
- OPW Minister - Kevin Boxer Moran | Portugal
- Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure - Emer Higgins | Western Australia
- Minister of State at the Department of Finance - Robert Troy | Czechia
- Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs - Neale Richmond | Kenya and Tanzania
- Minister of State at the Departments of Rural and Community Development an Transport - Jerry Buttimer | New Zealand
- Minister of State at the Department of Housing - John Cummins | Thailand and the Philippines
- Minister of State at the Department of Housing - Christopher O’Sullivan | Norway and Poland
- Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Older People - Kieran O’Donnell | Cardiff and Manchester
- Minister of State at the Department of Health - Jennifer Murnane O’Connor | Greece and Cyprus
- Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise - Niamh Smyth | Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
- Migration Minister - Colm Brophy | Spain
- Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education - Marian Harkin | Netherlands and Belgium
- Ceann Comhairle - Verona Murphy | Switzerland
- Cathaoirleach Seanad | Edinburgh
The fountain on the South Lawn of the White House died green in honour of St Patrick’s Day, 16-03-2018. Image: SMG/Zuma Press/PA Images
