Government Ministers are using St Patrick’s Day as an opportunity to promote Ireland to locations around the world. Although some senior Ministers are staying at home, key Government figures are flying to locations around the world to meet with key business and political figures.
USA Taoiseach Brian Cowen:Mr Cowen's visit to Washington DC and New York will include meetings with US president Barack Obama with the traditional shamrock and a meeting on the global economic crisis; lunch hosted by Speaker of the House of Representatives
GERMANY Minister for Agriculture and Food Brendan SmithHe will fly to Germany to attend the St Patrick's Day parade, and a dinner for local clients of Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland in Munich, and meetings with local pork processors
AUSTRALIA Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon O'CuívHe will be in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to attend events hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the Mayor's reception and parade events in Melbourne
CANADA Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey. He will be in Toronto, Canada to attend the Ireland Fund's St Patrick's lunch with 1,000 business and political decision makers, meet clients and their customers at an Enterprise Ireland business breakfast.
U SA: Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin:He will accompany the Taoiseach on his trip to Washington and New York. Separately, he will meet with members of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) on the undocumented in the United States.
USA: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan.He will be in San Francisco and New York where he will visit green technology companies, attend the St Patrick's Day Mass and parade, and meet Irish-American groups.
USA: Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin. She will be in Philadelphia, to attend the Irish Community Reception. In Atlanta, she will visit a blue chip US company, meet with the Governor of Georgia and other agencies.
BRITAIN Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan: He will be in London, where he is scheduled to attend the traditional parade and St Patrick's Day Mass, an Ireland Fund of Great Britain reception, and an Enterprise Ireland lunch with key contacts of the IDA.
* Minister of State for Science and Innovation Jimmy Devins will be in Chicago to visit Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and meet with officials.
* Minister of State and Government chief whip Pat Carey will be in Boston to attend events hosted by the Irish Chamber of Commerce and the Irish-American Partnership, meet with immigration centre representatives.
* Minister of State for Overseas Aid Peter Power is in Birmingham to attend an Enterprise Ireland event and a reception hosted by the Birmingham Irish Community Forum.
* Minister of State for Trade and Commerce John McGuinness will be in Edinburgh and Glasgow for the St Patrick’s Day festival.
* Minister of State for Labour Affairs Billy Kelleher will be in Rome and Milan, to attend business events and meet with local Irish groups
* Minister of State for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sargent will fly to Paris to support Irish food and drink exports.
* Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews will fly to India, to attend events in Mumbai and New Delhi.