THE CABINET TODAY approved 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 globe to mark St Patrick’s Day.

In 2020 there was a pared back contingent of Ministers allowed to travel for the celebrations, with none permitted last year due to the pandemic. None travelled abroad last year. 

This year, three ministers will stay behind and will not travel abroad, a higher number than usual. Usually, just one minister is left behind and dubbed the ‘designated survivor’. 

The Government of Ireland today announced the 2022 St Patrick’s Day programme which will see the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Government Ministers travel to promote Ireland and Irish interests around the world.

The Government said this year’s St. Patrick’s Day programme will see a promotional programme of 33 high level visits abroad which will take place in line with local Covid-19 public health guidelines.

The central message of this year’s St Patrick’s Day is that Ireland is reopening, and the international programme will focus on the theme of Rebuilding Connections and  Supporting Communities across the globe.

So, in full: Here’s where the Taoiseach and our ministers are going for St Patrick’s Day:

Taoiseach Micheál Martin London, UK; Washington D.C, USA
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar Colombia; Chile

The Taoiseach is set to attend the Irish Funds dinner in Washington DC on Wednesday 16 March, with the shamrock ceremony likely to take place on St Patrick’s Day in the White House.

The Taoiseach will return home in time for the pandemic commemoration event which is due to take place on Sunday 20 March.

This will be Martin’s last opportunity as Taoiseach to visit with the US president before the rotation of Leo Varadkar into the role in December 2022.

The ‘Global Greening’ initiative will continue this year, with over 600 iconic landmark buildings around the world planned to be lit up green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

The Minister’s objectives for the St Patrick’s Day 2022 programme this year will be to recognise the resilience and solidarity of Irish people everywhere throughout the pandemic, and to acknowledged the connections that were “severely impacted by the pandemic”.

The Government said that the trips will be an opportunity to reconnect and strengthen relationships with key political leaders, business leaders, decision makers, influencers and stakeholders across the world.

They will also promote the international understanding of Ireland as a great place to live, visit, work, invest, trade with, and study.