Promote economy on St Patrick’s Day trips, Ministers told

Ministers travelling abroad for St Patrick's Day are to make a concerted effort to promote Ireland as a leading centre for economic growth, as part of the Government's response to Brexit.

A memo that will be given to each Minister will urge them to use the trips to outline Ireland's concerns about the consequences of the British exit from the European Union.

The document stresses the need for Ministers to emphasise and reinforce Ireland’s economic progress when they are abroad.

It says Ministers should promote the country as a competitive location for sourcing goods and investment and also as an attractive destination for tourism and study. Ministers are advised to focus particularly on euro zone countries and says high-level representation is required.

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The Department of Foreign Affairs has notified ambassadors and consular general of the guidelines.

Trade missions

The memo states: “St Patrick’s Day 2017 will provide a particularly timely platform for Ireland in this regard given the UK Government’s stated intention to invoke article 50 by the end of March this year.”

The Government said an extensive programme is proposed for 2017 so Ministers can “maximise the strategic opportunities” afforded by St Patrick’s Day.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his Ministers are to embark on a series of trade missions in the coming months, including trips to Malta, Poland, the United States and Germany.

British prime minister Theresa May will travel to Dublin on Monday to meet the Taoiseach and discuss Ireland's ongoing concerns about the implications of Brexit.

Common travel area

Ms May will earlier on Monday meet the new Sinn Féin leader in the North, Michelle O'Neill, and the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Arlene Foster, in Cardiff. The prime minister's visit to Dublin will be brief with Ms May not expecting to arrive until mid-afternoon.

The Taoiseach is to use the opportunity to stress the need for Ireland to retain a common travel area between Britain and Ireland and to avoid the imposition of a hard Border between the North and the Republic.

Speaking this week, Mr Kenny said modern technology has been used in many crossings between countries.

“What we’re not going to have is the return to a hard Border of customs posts on every road.”

Mr Kenny will also discuss the forthcoming Assembly elections in the North with Ms May.