BOTH THE TAOISEACH and Tánaiste will depart today for the first stages of their St Patrick’s Day programmes.
28 Ministers are taking part in the “Promote Ireland” campaign, travelling to 35 cities across the world over the weekend.
Enda Kenny is travelling to Washington, before heading to Boston on Sunday, and New York on Monday and Tuesday.
The focus of the trip will be to highlight Ireland’s exit from the bailout programme, our return to the bond markets, and other indicators that the economy is beginning to improve.
Joe Biden
The Taoiseach will address the American-Ireland Fund in Washington, and also attend a breakfast meeting with the US Vice President Joe Biden.
Kenny yesterday dismissed speculation that he might not attend New York’s St Patrick’s Day parade, saying that the sexuality of those participating “is a matter for themselves”.
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore’s trip to Paris has a similar focus, aimed at “boosting Ireland’s economic and political ties with France”.
EU integration
He will meet with President François Hollande, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabiu to discuss a range of topics from EU integration to the crisis in the Ukraine.
The Tánaiste will also meet with Irish exports at the Wabel Frozen Food summit, before representing the Irish Government at the Ireland v France Six Nations match at the Stade de France.
Full details of where other Ministers are jetting off to are available here.
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