CABINET IS EXPECTED to sign 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.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will travel to Washington DC this year for the annual celebrations at the White House.
Varadkar will meet with US President Joe Biden – the second US president he has met as Taoiseach, having already met with Donald Trump for previous celebrations.
This will be the first time in two years that An Taoiseach will meet with the US president in person. In 2021, the celebrations were held virtually due to Covid-19.
While a visit was scheduled and due to take place last year, Micheál Martin’s first visit as Taoiseach to the White House was cancelled when he tested positive for Covid on the eve of his planned meeting with Biden.
Martin was forced to spend the rest of his trip to Washington under lockdown in residence at Blair House, which is just across the road from the White House.
While there were some joking suggestions in Leinster House of late that perhaps Varadkar should allow Martin to tag along to the White House this year, given his previous bad luck, the Tánaiste has his own plans.
Martin is expected to be in New York on 17 March, with talk that he will be in the audience of a performance of Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland at Carnegie Hall, along with the Clintons and former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
While in DC, Varadkar is also set to attend the Irish Funds dinner in Washington DC on Wednesday 15 March, a gala dinner which commands $1,000 per plate.
Although there has been speculation that he might try and visit another US city, this has yet to be confirmed. While visiting Washington, there is no doubt that the Taoiseach will remind the US president of the standing invitation for him to visit Ireland.
With the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement approaching, there has been much speculation about a possible visit of the US president in April.
However, some sources have stated that he might be reluctant to do so if the institutions in the North are not up and running.
Others have suggested a trip might be in order in a bid to focus minds in the political parties about the importance of getting back to work.
Separately, much of the focus this week will be on the new cost-of-living measures that are set to be announced.
While party leaders generally meet on a Monday evening, it is now expected that they will not meet until later in the week as Finance Minister Michael McGrath is in Brussels.
A final sign off on the measures is now not expected this week, but is likely to take place after Cabinet next Tuesday.
The Taoiseach indicated over the weekend that social welfare and pension payments would form part of cost-of-living measures to be announced before the end of the month.
Meanwhile, plans to prevent cross-examination of victims by their abusers in coercive control cases are also to be brought before Cabinet.
Justice Minister Simon Harris is expected to outline that work is underway on new legislation to protect vulnerable witnesses in cases of coercive control, forced marriage, stalking and harassment, to protect vulnerable witnesses from intimidation and re-traumatisation during trial.
These will include blocking an accused person cross-examining a victim or a child in person during court cases.
Harris is to also ask the Government not to oppose a Bill from Green Party Senator Vincent P Martin allowing courts to prohibit an accused person of personally cross-examining a victim or a child in coercive control cases, and plans to work with Martin to progress the policy.
Plans to further these protections are due to be detailed at Cabinet, with new provisions to ensure these protections are in place for additional offences to protect vulnerable victims.
Currently, cross-examination in person by the accused of victims is prohibited in cases of sexual offences. This extends to cover cases involving child victims for a range of specific offences.
The plans being brought before Cabinet today is part of work underway in the Department of Justice under the Zero Tolerance and Supporting a Victims Journey plans launched by Minister Helen McEntee.
Contains reporting by Eoghan Dalton
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