CHINA VISIT:MINISTER FOR Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe will initially lead the delegation which last night left for China on a trade and diplomatic mission after Taoiseach Brian Cowen postponed his participation.
Mr Cowen had been due to leave with the group from Dublin last night and arrive this afternoon in Shanghai where he was to carry out various engagements tomorrow and Wednesday.
He will now travel direct to Beijing tomorrow, having decided to remain at home to deal with the fallout from the medical cards controversy.
Mr Cowen is due to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon and his official programme will now begin on Thursday morning when he is to meet Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. The Taoiseach will also address a business breakfast organised by Enterprise Ireland in the Chinese capital.
Later in the day, he attends an event organised by IDA Ireland for the promotion of Ireland's financial services sector, followed by a lunch hosted by Ambassador Declan Kelleher.
On Thursday afternoon he attends a Bord Bia event to promote Irish beef, and this is followed by an address at the China Foreign Affairs University and a reception at the Irish Embassy.
A large number of senior education figures form part of the Government trade mission to China as efforts intensify to recruit international students to Ireland.
The delegation includes two university presidents; four institute of technology presidents; four university deputy or vice-presidents; and senior representatives of five other universities or institutes.
A large number of private sector institutions are also represented on the trip.
Mr O'Keeffe said last night that international students deliver over €830 million per year to the economy. In all, there are over 3,500 Chinese students in Irish higher education institutions.
Mr Cowen's schedule on Friday and Saturday is mainly taken up with the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting, founded in 1996 to promote dialogue between the European Union and Asia.
Other EU leaders expected to attend include French president Nicolas Sarkozy, German chancellor Angela Merkel, the prime ministers of Poland, the Netherlands and Denmark, Slovenia's president Danilo Turk and British foreign secretary David Miliband.
Mr Cowen is scheduled to return to Ireland on Sunday evening.