Nine government representatives, including Taoiseach Enda Kenny, will travel abroad for St Patrick’s Day. Last year 22 Government representatives travelled to 24 countries.
Mr Kenny will meet US president Barack Obama in the White House in Washington DC on March 17th, while Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore will travel to New York.
India is the destination for Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Paris beckons for Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, while Ruairí Quinn, Minister for Education, visits Rome and Milan.
Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald will go to Australia and New Zealand. Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, travels to London between March 12th and 14th, while Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton also heads for London for March 16th and 17th.
Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton will travel to Germany.
The Taoiseach's two-day programme will also include engagements with senior US figures from both the administration and Congress, including US vice president Joe Biden and speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, as well as a range of appointments in support of Irish trade, tourism, culture, business and investment.
Mr Kenny is also expected to hold his first meeting since taking office with the Northern Ireland First Minister and deputy First Minister.
