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Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the Oval Office with US President Donald Trump last year Alamy Stock Photo

St Patrick's trips: Ministers to head to 50 countries (and yes the Taoiseach is planning to meet Trump)

As it is every year, a visit to Washington DC is on the agenda.

THE FULL LIST of countries and cities government ministers will visit for St Patrick’s Day has been released.

As it is every year, a visit to Washington DC is on the agenda, while opposition politicians continue to urge Taoiseach Micheál Martin not to meet with US President Donald Trump because of his foreign policy decisions and the aggressive rhetoric he has directed at allies.

It is tradition for ministers and ministers of state to travel to different places around the world to mark St Patrick’s Day and this time around 40 representatives will be paying visits to cities across 50 different countries.

“St Patrick’s Day provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Ireland on the global stage and to engage at the highest levels with political, business, civil society, cultural and diaspora leaders,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said in a statement.

“The theme for St Patrick’s Day 2026 will highlight Ireland’s place in the world as a small, open trading economy. It will reflect our economic success, built on openness and strong partnerships, and Ireland’s long-standing commitment to multilateralism.”

So, here’s the full list of where the Taoiseach and our ministers are going for St Patrick’s Day:

Taoiseach Micheál Martin: Washington and Philadelphia

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris: Paris, London

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Helen McEntee: Boston

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers: Senegal, Nigeria

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and Transport Darragh O’Brien: Brazil

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley: Italy, The Holy See

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton: Chile, Argentina

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke: New York

Minister for Social Protection; and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary: Ottawa and Toronto

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan: Atlanta, Savannah

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Germany

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan: Greece and Cyprus

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne: Chicago

Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine Martin Heydon: San Francisco

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless: Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney

Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health Mary Butler: Portugal and Spain

Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC: India

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy: Los Angeles

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality Emer Higgins: Denmark and Sweden

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine Noel Grealish: New Zealand

Minister of State at the Department of Transport Sean Canney: Japan and Korea

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Thomas Byrne: Poland, Ukraine and Moldova

Minister of State at the Department of Education: Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia

Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport: Thailand and Vietnam

Minister of State at the Department of Finance Robert Troy: Austin

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran: Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Frank Feighan: Philippines and Singapore

Minister of State at the Department of Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor: The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Healy-Rae: Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Neale Richmond: South Africa, Mozambique and Jordan

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Jerry Buttimer: China

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage John Cummins: Scotland and North of England

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Christopher O’Sullivan: Kenya and Tanzania

Minister of State at the Department of Health Kieran O’Donnell: Wales

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Niamh Smyth: Miami

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Alan Dillion: Mexico and Guatemala

Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Timmy Dooley: Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton

Minister of State at the Department of Justice Colm Brophy: Austria and Czechia

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Marian Harkin: France and Monaco

Minister of State at the Department of Justice Niall Collins: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE

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