St Patrick’s Day visits to US for Meath ministers

Meath East's two government ministers will be travelling to the US for St Patrick’s Day.

Justice Minister, Helen McEntee and Minister for Sport, Thomas Byrne, are among a total of 35 Ministers and Ministers of State travelling overseas, along with other Government and Oireachtas representatives.

Minister McEntee will visit New York, while Minister Byrne will be travelling to Phoenix and Arizona.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will travel to Washington DC and Boston during the week of St Patrick’s Day as part of the Government’s annual international programme to promote Ireland.

The Taoiseach’s visit to the US capital and the Massachusetts state capital will take place between March 12th and 17th. It is expected his visit will include a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden in the Oval Office.

The Ministers are travelling abroad for meetings and events related to St Patrick’s Day, along with Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Jerry Buttimer and Attorney General, Rossa Fanning.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the 38 representatives of the State would visit 86 cities in 48 countries. This exceeds last year’s total of 74 cities in 44 countries – which was then described as the most extensive programme undertaken by a government for St Patrick’s Day.

Meath County Council indicated that it hadn't finalised its plans for St Patrick's festival travel.

Meanwhile, Ministers have been warned to keep the costs of their St Patrick’s Day travels as low as possible and avoid extravagant spending on first-class flights, hotel suites and limousines. A cabinet memo said “all costs should be carefully considered” when ministers are booking flights and accommodation for their travels.