St Patrick’s Day Ministerial Visits to locations across the globe

The number of Ministers travelling abroad this year is reduced by half.  The Tánaiste and several senior Cabinet colleagues will remain in Ireland. 

The Government has instructed all Departments to ensure that costs are kept to a minimum.  The total cost will be considerably less than in previous years.

Announcing the programme, the Taoiseach said:

“This St Patrick’s Day, the Government will be sending a message that Ireland has a clear and comprehensive strategy for dealing with the impact of the economic crisis, that the Irish people are fighting back and that we are preparing to take advantage of the international recovery when it comes:-

•        We are addressing the banking situation in order to restore credibility, confidence and get credit flowing.

•        We are attacking the gap in our public finances by increasing revenue and cutting spending, in a planned way, over the next five years.

•        We are protecting as many jobs as we can and restoring competitiveness to the way we do business, supporting viable but vulnerable enterprises.

•        And we are investing in those who are out of work so that they can return to employment as soon as possible. ”

Acknowledging concerns about the cost of the ministerial missions, the Taoiseach said:

“ I know that some people question the value of these trips, particularly during this severe economic downturn, but St. Patrick’s Day gives Ireland a global platform that is the envy of practically every country in the world.

It gives us an unparalleled opportunity to send out a positive message about Ireland and to inform political and business leaders, trading and investment partners and the international media about how we are tackling the current challenges. 

We must utilise that opportunity effectively.

St. Patrick’s Day also gives us the opportunity to recognise the contribution of our emigrant communities across the world.  Many millions of Irish were forced to leave home by economic conditions far worse than anything we are experiencing today.  Many of them helped us out when we were down and we should never forget or ignore them.  In this regard, I and other colleagues travelling to the US will be drawing particular attention to the plight of the undocumented”.

Details of the programme of ministerial missions:

Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs – New York and Washington D.C.

Minister for Finance – London

Minister for Agriculture and Food – Munich, Berlin & Dusseldorf

Minister for Transport – Toronto

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources – San Francisco and New York

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs – Sydney, Brisbane & Melbourne

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism – Houston

Minister for Social and Family Affairs – Philadelphia and Atlanta

Attorney General – Seattle

Minister of State Carey - Boston

Minister of State Andrews – Mumbai and New Delhi

Minister of State Sargent – Paris

Minister of State Devins - Chicago

Minister of State Peter Power – Birmingham

Minister of State McGuinness – Edinburgh and Glasgow

Minister of State Kelleher – Rome and Milan

United States

The core elements of the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs’ programme in Washington on 17 March will include the traditional Shamrock Ceremony at the White House, the Speaker’s lunch on Capitol Hill, a meeting with the Economic Advisory Board and the Embassy Reception. The Taoiseach and Minister will also be guests at the American Ireland Fund evening engagement.

Prior to travelling to Washington, the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs will be in New York where they will attend an Enterprise Ireland trade breakfast, an Ireland-US Council luncheon and other business meetings. In addition to the events where he will be accompanying the Taoiseach in New York, Minister Martin will meet with members of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) to discuss the Government's efforts on behalf of the undocumented in the United States.  He will also take the opportunity to meet with Enterprise Ireland’s North American Financial Services Advisory Board  to explore what measures might be taken to assist Irish companies targeting the North American financial services sector.

Minister Eamon Ryan will represent the Government in San Francisco and New York. The core elements of the Minister’s programme in San Francisco include visits to significant “Green Tech” companies, attendance at the St. Patrick’s Day Mass and parade (14 March), along with visits to the Immigration and Pastoral Centre, the United Irish Cultural Centre and the GAA facilities on Treasure Island. Key components of the New York programme will be a meeting with Mayor Bloomberg and attendance at the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The Minister will also visit a number of key technology companies.

Minister of State Pat Carey is representing the Government in Boston. In addition to attending the annual parade, the Minister will have the opportunity to meet key business contacts at two events, one hosted by the Irish Chamber of Commerce and the second by the Irish-American Partnership. Meetings and events with immigration centre representatives, along with other business and cultural engagements, will also be a feature of the Minister’s programme.

Minister Mary Hanafin is representing the Government in Philadelphia and Atlanta. The core elements of the Philadelphia programme include attendance at the Irish Community Reception, an Irish Chamber of Commerce event and reviewing the annual parade. In Atlanta, the Minister will visit a blue chip US company and meet with the Governor of Georgia, the Georgia State Economic Commissioner and representatives of Georgia Tech Research Institute and Emory University.

Minister Martin Cullen is representing the Government in Houston. Key events in the Ministerial St. Patrick’s Day programme include meetings with senior business contacts, and a meeting with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board.  The Minister will also attend the Houston St. Patrick’s Day parade. Minister Cullen's attendance at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention (the International Cruiseliner Conference) in Miami to consolidate cruise liner business at Irish Ports worth an estimated €145 million annually.

Minister of State Jimmy Devins is representing the Government in Chicago.   Key components of the programme in Chicago will include a visit to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, meetings with State officials, attendance at the Irish-American Partnership Breakfast and Irish Fellowship Dinner. In addition, the Minister will attend the Downtown St. Patrick’s Day parade and an event hosted by the Mayor and meet with representatives of the Irish Community.

Attorney General Paul Gallagher is representing the Government in Seattle. Key events in the programme include an Irish week Proclamation lunch, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Friends of St. Patrick Dinner, along with other economic and cultural events.

Canada – Minister Noel Dempsey

Core features of the Ministerial programme in Toronto, in co-ordination with Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, will include attendance at the Ireland Fund’s annual St. Patrick’s lunch, which is attended by some 1,000 key business and political decision-makers, attendance at an Enterprise Ireland business breakfast to meet EI clients and their Canadian customers and a Tourism Ireland lunch. The Minister will also attend the parade which is one of the largest in North America. Meetings with the Minister’s provincial counterpart in Ontario (seat of the Ontario Provincial government) and media interviews are planned.

Britain

Minister Brian Lenihan – London

As well as the traditional parade and St. Patrick’s Day Mass, key components of the Minister Lenihan’s programme in London include an Ireland Fund of Great Britain reception, an Enterprise Ireland lunch which will bring together key contacts of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and An Bord Bia, and an Irish Community reception at the Embassy. Key business and economic engagements includes media and political contacts, as well as speaking opportunities at Bloomberg and the International Financial Services London.  Other engagements include attendance at an Enterprise Ireland Reception and the Women’s Irish Network St. Patrick’s Day reception.

Minister of State Peter Power – Birmingham

The key highlights of the Ministerial St. Patrick’s Day programme in Birmingham include an Enterprise Ireland event and a reception hosted by the Birmingham Irish Community Forum, along with the launch of the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Minister of State John McGuinness – Edinburgh and Glasgow

Minister of State McGuinness is representing the Government in Edinburgh and Glasgow and will launch the St. Patrick’s Day festival in Coatbridge. Enterprise Ireland aims to repeat their successful “Discover Your Own Ireland” event in Glasgow which the Minister of State McGuinness will attend and which, last year, attracted a footfall of 37,000. The Edinburgh programme includes attendance at the St. Patrick’s Day breakfast and annual St. Patrick’s Day reception, along with an Enterprise Ireland networking event. Two other Enterprise Ireland engagements feature on Minister of State McGuinness’s programme, a business lunch and a reception with key business contacts and other guests from the fields of politics, culture and academia. While in Edinburgh, the Minister of State will also meet with Scottish Government Ministers.

EUROPE

Italy – Minister of State Billy Kelleher

Minister of State Kelleher is representing the Government in Rome and Milan. The Milan visit will centre on a trade programme driven and supported by Enterprise Ireland, An Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland. The visit will include attendance at a business lunch co-hosted by Enterprise Ireland, An Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland and at the Celtic Ball, which is sponsored by An Bord Bia. The programme in Rome will provide an opportunity to engage with local Irish groups, including attendance at the St. Patrick’s Day Mass, the annual ball and the Embassy reception.

Germany – Minister Brendan Smith

Minister Smith is representing the Government in Munich, Berlin and Dusseldorf. Key events for the Ministerial programme in Munich include attendance and speaking opportunity at the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the largest in continental Europe, and attendance at a dinner to which local clients of Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland will be invited. The programme in Dusseldorf includes meetings with local pork processors and distributors and attendance at a lunch focused on An Bord Bia and BIM clients and an Enterprise Ireland reception. The programme in Berlin begins on 17 March and includes the annual reception hosted by the Embassy, a visit to an An Bord Bia beef promotion and meetings with political and business leaders.

France – Minister of State Trevor Sargent

Minister of State Sargent is representing the Government in Paris. The focus of the Ministers visit is to support Irish food and drink exports. The core element of the Ministerial St. Patrick’s Day programme will be the Embassy reception. The 400 guests at this reception represent a cross-section of key business contacts and the Irish Community. The Ministerial programme will also include meetings with wholesalers, processors and distributors of Irish meat products, a visit to the Irish Contingent at EUFOR HQ and attendance at a trade reception organised jointly that evening by BIM, An Bord Bia and the Irish Tourist Board. The Minister will also visit the Office of the Mayor of Paris.

ASIA -PACIFIC

Australia – Minister Eamon O’Cuív

Minister O’Cuív is representing the Government in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. The key events in Sydney involve an Enterprise Ireland lunch, an IDA site visit, the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Mayor’s reception, a Lansdowne Club Lunch (Major Irish Professional Group), an interview with the Editor of the Irish Echo, a reception hosted by the Consul General and a St. Patrick’s Day Ball. The Queensland Irish Society St. Patrick’s Day ball is a highlight of the Brisbane visit and will be attended and addressed by Prime Minister Rudd. The programme in Melbourne includes Irish-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Irish Community events, an Enterprise Ireland lunch, a Parliamentary dinner and work on behalf of the IDA.

India – Minister of State Barry Andrews

Minister of State Andrews is representing the Government in Mumbai and New Delhi. The Ministerial programme will commence in Mumbai with the opening of the IDA office in Mumbai, the first semi-state agency to open an office outside the Embassy, followed by an Enterprise Ireland/ IDA event. Other events in Mumbai include meetings with civil authorities, cultural events, and media interviews. The programme in New Delhi includes An Bord Bia Irish drinks promotion, a presentation by Irish telecoms companies, a visit to an Irish School and an Irish Aid funded project, and a meeting with the Minister’s counterpart.