Over 50 countries to be visited on Ministers’ St Patrick’s Day missions
A total of 40 Ministers and other representatives of the State will visit more than 50 countries for a St Patrick’s Day programme that is set to focus on trade and investment.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Helen McEntee will visit Boston, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Thomas Byrne will visit Poland, Ukraine and Moldova and Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Niamh Smyth will visit Miami.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will travel to Washington DC where he is expected to meet US president Donald Trump. Mr Martin will also visit Philadelphia and he is among nine representatives that will travel to the United States.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said: “St Patrick’s Day provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Ireland on the global stage and to engage at the highest levels with political, business, civil society, cultural and diaspora leaders."
“The theme for St Patrick’s Day 2026 will highlight Ireland’s place in the world as a small, open trading economy. It will reflect our economic success, built on openness and strong partnerships, and Ireland’s long-standing commitment to multilateralism.”
The full list is as follows:
Taoiseach Micheál Martin: Washington and Philadelphia
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris: Paris, London
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers: Senegal, Nigeria
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and Transport Darragh O’Brien: Brazil
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley: Italy, The Holy See
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton: Chile, Argentina
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke: New York
Minister for Social Protection; and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary: Ottawa and Toronto
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan: Atlanta, Savannah
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Germany
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan: Greece and Cyprus
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne: Chicago
Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine Martin Heydon: San Francisco
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless: Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney
Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health Mary Butler: Portugal and Spain
Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC: India
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy: Los Angeles
Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality Emer Higgins: Denmark and Sweden
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine Noel Grealish: New Zealand
Minister of State at the Department of Transport Sean Canney: Japan and Korea
Minister of State at the Department of Education Michael Moynihan: Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia
Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Charlie McConalogue: Thailand and Vietnam
Minister of State at the Department of Finance Robert Troy: Austin
Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran: Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide
Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Frank Feighan: Philippines and Singapore
Minister of State at the Department of Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor: The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Healy-Rae: Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Neale Richmond: South Africa, Mozambique and Jordan
Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Jerry Buttimer: China
Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage John Cummins: Scotland and North of England
Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Christopher O’Sullivan: Kenya and Tanzania
Minister of State at the Department of Health Kieran O’Donnell: Wales
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Alan Dillion: Mexico and Guatemala
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Timmy Dooley: Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton
Minister of State at the Department of Justice Colm Brophy: Austria and Czechia
Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Marian Harkin: France and Monaco
Minister of State at the Department of Justice Niall Collins: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE