Troy begins St Patrick’s Day travel to Texas

• Visits to Dallas and Austin as part of ministerial engagements around the globe

• Minister Troy will attend Ireland House at SXSW, a festival of innovation, technology, and culture

Minister of State at the Department of Finance and Longford Westmeath TD Robert Troy has today begun a series of engagements as part of the government travel programme for St Patrick’s Day.

Minister Troy will first visit Dallas, Texas for engagement with political leaders and the Irish community in the city, including the Irish Business Network Dallas. He will also visit the Texas Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

Following that, he will travel to Austin, Texas to attend Ireland House as SXSW (South by South West). SXSW is a leading festival at the intersection of innovation, technology, culture, and business. The Irish presence at Ireland House is a joint effort by the Irish Consulate in Austin, Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, and Screen Ireland.

As part of his engagements with businesses, Minister Troy will visit the Dell Technologies campus in Round Rock, as well as meetings with Enterprise Ireland and IDA client companies.

Minister Troy said: “The St Patrick’s Day travel programme is a unique and important fixture to showcase all that is good about Ireland around the globe. During my time here I will see firsthand the depth of the Irish diaspora in Texas, as well as those businesses and entrepreneurs who are scaling their ideas into a significant market. The relationship between Ireland and the USA is a long one, and it is vital that we maintain and develop ties for mutual benefit.

“Attendance at SXSW will be a particular highlight. It is a hugely important stage for Irish businesses and artists, and represents real opportunity to connect and gain exposure at a global level.”