Brian Cowen began his first St Patrick's Day visit to the United States as Taoiseach today.
Mr Cowen will speak to business leaders in New York today and tomorrow ahead of his meeting with president Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday.
This afternoon Mr Cowen will meet with various business networks, including Bloomberg and Fox Business News. Later this evening, he will launch the Strategic Review of Irish US relationsand a new internet portal www.irishcentral.com for the Irish Diaspora at the American Irish Historical Society.
The Taoiseach is joined on his visit by a 100-strong trade delegation on behalf of Enterprise Ireland.
Speaking ahead of his visit Mr Cowen said: “Over the course of my two day visit to New York I will be taking every opportunity with Enterprise Ireland to promote Irish companies as they link up with their US counterparts.
”Ireland is an excellent location for foreign investment and this trade mission demonstrates that we have the talent and skills to capitalise on a global recovery.”