Minister met locals during US visit

Minister of State Peter Burke was among the government representatives who recently travelled abroad for St Patrick’s Day.

During his four-day visit to the US State of Georgia, the Mullingar man attended St Patrick’s Day events in the cities of Atlanta and Savannah.

He also encountered a few local faces during the trip, including Brian Lynam, from Coosan in Athlone, who works for Boston Scientific in Atlanta.

The pair met at an Irish reception event in Atlanta which was attended by more than 300 people.

In addition, Minister Burke met the Irish-born president of Coca Cola, John Murphy, and was accompanied at that meeting by Ballymahon native Enda Trautt, who is based in Atlanta and works for IDA Ireland.

Minister Burke’s office said he addressed the Georgia State Senate and House of Representatives, “raising the war in Gaza and the need for the international community to step up efforts to stop the violence and senseless war”.

In Savannah, he led the St Patrick’s Day parade, which is among the largest in the world, and for which 800,000 people visited on the city.

The trip also included a visit to the Georgia Tech university, an address to an international relations graduate lecture, and a number of business engagements.

Peter Burke is Minister of State for European Affairs and Minister of State at the Department of Defence. There is growing speculation that he could be in line for promotion to a senior government ministry under the new Fine Gael leader Simon Harris.