LAST UPDATE | 12 Feb

MINISTERS WILL FIND out where they are off to for St Patrick’s Day today.

Tánaiste Simon Harris will bring a proposal to Cabinet today to send ministers to almost 40 locations as part of the St Patrick’s Day programme next month. 

The Journal exclusively reported last month that the government would be increasing the number of senior ministers going stateside in a bid to prevent any dramatic policy decisions from being taken by the new Trump administration which would adversely impact Ireland’s economy. 

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and eight ministers will travel to the United States for extensive high-level engagement with the United States, it has been revealed. 

Last year, apart from the Taoiseach travelling to Washington DC for the White House visit, just three senior ministers travelled to the US.  

Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed this morning that he’d be making a stop in Texas while in the states this time around.

He said he is not worried that Ireland and America’s differing stances on Gaza will impact the relationship overall, considering Trump is “fond of” Ireland.

“The meeting is a month away. We’ll see where the situation is then,” he said.

“Everybody’s agreed that we need to honour the ceasefire.”

At today’s Cabinet meeting, the Tánaiste will stress how this year’s trips are particularly important given the necessity to build partnerships with political leaders at federal and state level.

In America, ministers will be expected to emphasise the mutually beneficial Ireland – US economic relationship valued at over one trillion Euro per annum.

Government representatives will seek to emphasis the depth and breadth of the economic relationship between the two countries. Harris has previously stated that there is a need to promote “Team Ireland”.

While there have been concerns within government circles that the invite to the White House for St Patrick’s Day might not come this year, Harris has stated publicly that he expects the invite is forthcoming.

Martin said that it is not customary to get a direct invitation to the White House for the St Patrick’s Day festivities, but rather his administration and Trump’s will arrange it between them.

Related Reads

St Patrick's Day state visits: How a bowl of shamrocks turned into a global soft power mission

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Those The Journal spoke to in government said they did expect the Taoiseach to be invited to meet President Donald Trump, but they also said they would not be surprised if the celebrations at the White House were pared back. 

There are fears within government that there is strong lobbying from Israel against Ireland, due to the position the government has taken on Palestine. 

While pressure is set to be heaped on the Taoiseach to speak out about Ireland’s position on Gaza, those within government state there is a balancing act to be struck in terms of working to prevent or delay any tariffs that would impact the Irish economy.

The announcement of the St Patrick’s Day programme comes on foot of the Tánaiste setting up two bodies which Harris has said will be crucial to navigating the coming period, including the Trade Consultative Forum and the US-based Strategic Economic Advisory Panel. Influential Irish-Americans are understood to have been signed up to help out with the newly established groups.