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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the White House in 2018 UPI/PA Images
St Patrick's Day
Taoiseach heading to Washington for St Patrick's Day as ministers set to travel across the globe
Ministers and Ministers of State are off on their traditional jaunts around the globe to mark St Patrick’s Day.
CABINET HAS TODAY signed off on the list of St Patrick’s day visits for ministers across the globe.
It is tradition for ministers and ministers of State to travel to different destinations around the world to mark St Patrick’s Day.
No one was permitted to travel abroad in 2021 due to the pandemic, but last year the Government saw a promotional programme of 33 high level visits.
The visits took place within weeks of the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and the Government also sought to use the trips to express solidarity with the war-torn country and to express Ireland’s “strong commitment to democratic and humanitarian values”.
Almost €175,000 was spent last year to send ministers abroad on trade missions for St Patrick’s Day, data compiled by The Journal showed.
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed how much the Government paid for five-star hotels, limousines, tuxedo rental and shamrock bowls to promote Ireland and to support Irish communities across the world.
The St Patrick’s Day programme this year will again see the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Government Ministers travel to promote Ireland and Irish interests around the world.
So, in full: Here’s where the Taoiseach and our ministers are going for St Patrick’s Day:
- Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: Washington DC, USA
- Tánaiste and Department of Foreign Affairs; and Department of Defence Micheál Martin: New York and Boston – USA
- Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications; and Department of Transport Eamon Ryan: China
- Department of Finance Michael McGrath: Chicago and Toronto – USA
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe: Frankfurt, Cologne and Berlin – Germany
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth – Australia
- Department of Education Norma Foley: Philadelphia – USA
- Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin: Los Angeles, San Diego – USA
- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien: Atlanta and Savannah – USA
- Department of Social Protection; and Department of Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys: London and England – UK
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch – New Zealand
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman: Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangladesh – India, Dhaka – Bangladesh
- Department of Health Stephen Donnelly: Canada
- Department of Further and Higher Education and Department of Justice Simon Harris: San Francisco – USA, Vancouver – Canada
Ministers of State
- Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton: Miami – USA, Mexico
- Minister of State for Transport Jack Chambers: Japan
- Minister of State for Agriculture Senator Pippa Hackett: Kenya & Tanzania
- Minister of State for EU Affairs Peter Burke: Italy and Holy See
- Minister of State for Public Expenditure Patrick O’Donovan: Thailand and Indonesia
- Minister of State for Public Procurement and eGovernment Ossian Smyth: Belgium and Netherlands
- Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan: UAE and Qatar
- Minister of State for Food and the Marine Martin Heydon: Korea
- Minister of State for Disability Anne Rabbitte: Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town - South Africa
- Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Seán Fleming: Brazil
- Minister of State for Integration Joe O’Brien: Poland
- Minister of State for Housing Kieran O’Donnell: Croatia and Slovenia
- Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan: Austria, Slovakia, Czechia and Romania
- Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail Business Neale Richmond: Spain and Portugal
- Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education Thomas Byrne: Austin, Dallas and Texas – USA
- Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins: Malaysia and Philippines
- Minister of State for Financial Services Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Edinburgh, Cardiff and Liverpool – UK
- Minister of State for Law Reform and Youth Justice James Browne: Cyprus and Jordan
- Minister of State for Trade Promotion Dara Calleary: Paris, Strasbourg and Lyon – France
Additionally, the Ceann Comhairle, Seanad Cathaoirleach and the Attorney General are due to head abroad:
- Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Lebanon
- Seanad Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer: Sierra Leone and Liberia
- Attorney General Rossa Fanning: Argentina and Chile
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