NEW ZEALAND VISIT:MINISTER FOR Health Mary Harney will attend the St Patrick's Day parade in Auckland tomorrow as part of her two-week official trip to New Zealand.
Ms Harney arrived in Auckland on Monday, accompanied by her husband Brian Geoghegan, special adviser Patricia Ryan, private secretary Darragh Scully and Philip Crowley, deputy chief medical officer at the Department of Health and Children.
Ms Harney rested from her flight on Tuesday morning before receiving an official briefing.
In the evening, she dined with members of the Irish community.
On Wednesday, she visited a children’s hospital in Manukau City where discussions included paediatric links with the community. She later met the mayor of Manukau City, Len Brown, members of the Irish community in Auckland, and later had dinner with Enterprise Ireland representatives and clients.
Among her commitments yesterday were meetings with the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the New Zealand members of the Global Irish Network, and an interview with the New Zealand Herald.
She also attended a reception jointly hosted by Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Today her schedule includes meetings with medics at the Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland where she was due to discuss topics including the promotion of patient safety.
After attending the parade in Auckland, which begins at noon, Ms Harney will later attend a banquet marking the occasion at a hotel in the city.
About 400 guests are expected to attend including New Zealand prime minister John Key and his wife Bronagh.
Ms Harney will give a speech followed by a toast to the Irish and friends of the Irish in New Zealand.
On Sunday she will give a live interview on the community radio programme Images of Ireland, before leaving on a flight for Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city.
In the evening, she will attend a reception by the Wellington Irish Society.
On Monday, she will meet Tim Groser MP, minister of trade, Tony Ryall MP, minister of health, and attend a parliamentary reception, before hosting a dinner that evening.
She will visit and be presented to the New Zealand parliament on Tuesday, before flying back to Auckland.
On Wednesday – St Patrick’s Day – she will go to Mass before attending a consular reception with an estimated 200 guests.
The New Zealand prime minister is expected to be represented, as well as the mayors or representatives of the four regions of Auckland, the chairman of the Auckland Regional Council and the dean of the Auckland Consular Corps.
On Thursday, Ms Harney will fly to Christchurch to visit another healthcare service and attend an evening function with the Christchurch Irish Society.
On Friday morning, she will visit the NZ Antarctic Heritage Trust and Antarctic Centre, while in the afternoon she is scheduled to visit a primary care community service.
There are no official functions scheduled for Saturday when she is due to return to Auckland.
The Minister will overnight there and leave New Zealand on the morning of Sunday, March 21st.