Councillors taking flight for St Patrick's Day

Eight Meath county councillors are travelling to New York and London this week to take part in St Patrick's Day festivities, with four members joining cathaoirleach, Sean Drew in New York, and three members travelling to London.

The councillors travel on foot of invitations from the Meath associations based in these cities, who ask that local representatives join the diaspora on the national feast day.

Joining Cllr Drew in New York are Cllr Wayne Harding, who missed the trip last year due to the pandemic, and Cllr Gerry O'Connor of Fine Gael, Cllr Stephen McKee of Fianna Fáil, and Cllr Emer Tóibín representing the Technical/Independent group. Chief executive, Jackie Maguire, and Barry Lynch, Director of Services, are representing the council executive in New York.

Cllrs Mike Bray (Fianna Fail), Joe Fox (Fine Gael) and Elaine McGinty (Labour) are travelling to London with senior executive officer, Robert Collins.

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Cllr Drew explained that there is one going from each group, which has been the tradition, and that Cllr Harding was going as a cathaoirleach who had missed the celebrations previously. Cllr David Gilroy, who also served as cathaoirleach during the pandemic, is not travelling.

Cllr Drew said that the protocol committee, of which he is also chairperson, decided that the two former cathaoirligh who had missed the past two trips to New York, would be included this year, as well as the various groupings.

He had previously travelled to New York in 2002 as chairman of Kells Town Council.

Traditionally, the chairperson of Meath County Council, as well as the chairs of the three town councils, Navan, Trim and Kells, travelled, but following the abolition of town councils, the trips are divided up in Meath by political groupings.

"I'm not one for conferences and trips, but as cathaoirleach I try to accept every invitation that comes over the course of the year."

He said he is honoured to be going as cathaoirleach to meet the Meath diaspora.

Meath Co Council had to seek refunds of almost €6k from airlines after planned official St Patrick's Day trips in 2020 had to be cancelled on foot of the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to details seen by Meath Chrionicle following a Freedom of Information request, €5,191 was paid for flights to the US and a further €797 was spent on travel to the UK in 2020. There were no accommodation charges to Meath Co Council. There was no travel in 2021.

Meath's three government TDs will be travelling to America, Italy and Sweden this year.

As the trips resume this year, Justice Minister, Helen McEntee will travel to Savannah, Georgia, in the US while Minister Thomas Byrne will visit Italy and Minister Damien English will travel to Sweden.

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day programme will see 33 high level visits abroad which will take place in line with local public health guidelines.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin will travel to Washington to meet President Joe Biden and will also visit London and Washington DC. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar will visit Colombia and Chile and Transport and Minister Eamon Ryan will be in New York.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, Social Protection Minister, Heather Humphreys will remain in Ireland.

A Government statement said: "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.

"St Patrick’s Day is the primary flagship for realising the ambition of the Government’s ‘Global Ireland’ programme to promote Ireland as a great place to live, visit, work, study, and invest, with an integrated, all of Government, Team Ireland approach.

"In this centenary year of the foundation of the State, and as Ireland marks the 50th anniversary of accession to the EEC, ministers will underline Ireland’s commitment to the European Union, reinforce Ireland’s commitment to protecting the hard-won peace in Northern Ireland, and celebrate our heritage and renew our links with our global diaspora and business leaders.

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