Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will travel to Washington DC and Boston during the week of St Patrick’s Day as part of the Government’s annual international programme to promote Ireland.
The Taoiseach’s visit to the US capital and the Massachusetts state capital will take place between March 12th and 17th. It is expected his visit will include a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden in the Oval Office.
Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, Mr Vardakar said he had yet to receive an invitation to meet Mr Biden on St Patrick’s Day but would accept such an invite.
He would use the opportunity, as he always does, to “speak to the US president and the US administration about matters of interest and matters of concern to the Irish people.
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“Those conversations are not always pleasant ones, because while we agree on the vast majority of things, we don’t agree on everything,” he said.
The Taoiseach was responding to People Before Profit TDs Richard Boyd Barrett and Mick Barry, who called on Mr Varadkar not to travel to Washington DC to present Mr Biden with a bowl of shamrock. Mr Boyd Barrett said the US president had “armed Israel to the teeth”, specifically to support their ability to “continue the massacre, for which they are now in the dock”.
In reply, Mr Varadkar said: “I would point out that the president of the Palestinian Authority, or rather the president of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas himself, has met president Biden only in the past few months, certainly more recently than I have, and I don’t think the president of Palestine would refuse an invitation to go to the White House to discuss matters that are happening in Gaza and elsewhere and I don’t see why we would on that basis.”
A total of 35 Ministers and Ministers of State are travelling abroad for meetings and events related to St Patrick’s Day, along with Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Jerry Buttimer and Attorney General Rossa Fanning.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the 38 representatives of the State would visit 86 cities in 48 countries. This exceeds last year’s total of 74 cities in 44 countries – which was then described as the most extensive programme undertaken by a government for St Patrick’s Day.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin will visit Canada, during which time he will spend time in Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will travel to Brazil, Minister for Finance Michael McGrath will visit China and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe will travel to France and Bulgaria.
Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney will travel to India and Bangladesh, while Minister for Education Norma Foley will visit the UK, including Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester and London.
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien will travel to South Africa and Zambia, while Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will travel to Australia, visiting the cities of Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, where a significant cohort of Irish healthcare graduates have emigrated in recent years.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the theme for St Patrick’s Day 2024 will be “Ireland’s Future in the World”, which will focus on young Irish people, the country’s diaspora, and their perspectives on the world of the future and Ireland’s place in it.
“It will highlight the impact and achievements of young Irish and diaspora leaders across the fields of innovation, creativity, community development, business and academia around the world,” a statement from the department said.
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