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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