The Government has announced that its message around the world for St. Patrick’s Day will be:
“Now is the time to invest in Ireland’s recovery.”
Announcing this year’s programme, the Taoiseach said:
“The Government will use the unique global opportunity of St. Patrick’s Day to bring that message to all our key global markets and to Ireland’s many friends around the world.
The clear message from the Invest in Ireland event hosted by President Bill Clinton in New York recently was that investors have faith in Ireland and in our capacity to bring about economic recovery. That message was echoed by the Chinese Vice President, Xi Jinping during his recent visit.”
In the report of the Second Global Irish Economic Forum, held in Dublin Castle last October, St. Patrick’s Day was identified as ‘a unique asset for Ireland’ that should be utilised fully as an opportunity to extract maximum marketing effect for the country.
The Taoiseach will travel to Washington, DC as the guest of President Obama for the traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House.
He will also attend the Speakers Lunch on Capitol Hill, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, as well as meeting Vice President Biden and other US leaders.
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, who will visit Canada said, “St. Patrick’s Day is a unique opportunity to promote Ireland abroad. Few, if any, other countries have a national day which is so widely known and celebrated across the entire globe. As a country we should maximise the value we get from such global attention and goodwill. Visits by Ministers to key countries around St. Patrick’s Day increase the attention, publicity and promotion which Ireland gets’.
The other elements of the Taoiseach’s programme in the United States will be:
- Chicago, where he will meet Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and other political and business leaders, participate in the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade and address the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
- the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, home of the “Fighting Irish”, where he will address faculty and students The University of Notre Dame will be taking part in a College Football game against Navy in the Aviva Stadium on September 1. Thousands of US fans will be travelling to Dublin for the occasion.
- New York City, where he will meet business leaders on March 19th, which has been designated as “Ireland Day” at the New York Stock Exchange
- a number of other events to promote trade, tourism and investment in Ireland.
Other key trading partners included in the ministerial programme of visits include China, Silicon Valley, Germany, Britain, France and Italy.
The Taoiseach has asked Ministers to include as many business, trade, tourism and investment promotion opportunities as possible in their programmes. He has directed that travel and other costs be kept to the minimum necessary.
Outline schedule of the Ministerial programme follows:
The Taoiseach will be in the US over the St. Patrick's Day period from 16th to 21st March. His trip will include time in Chicago, New York and Washington as well as a visit to Notre Dame University in Indiana.
The Tánaiste will travel to Canada for trade promotion, cultural and community events there.
Ministers will travel to 15 of our key trading partners and undertake programmes in 7 locations in the US.
North America
Chicago, Indiana, New York & Washington DC – Taoiseach
Canada – Tánaiste
New York – Minister Joan Burton, T.D.
West Coast USA – Minister Richard Bruton, T.D.
Atlanta – Minister Jimmy Deenihan, T.D.
Boston – Minister Frances Fitzgerald, T.D.
UK
UK (Birmingham & London) – Minister Leo Varadkar, T.D. and Minister of State Michael Ring, T.D.
Glasgow & Edinburgh – Minister of State Dinny McGinley, T.D.
Continental Europe
France – Minister Michael Noonan, T.D.
Italy – Minister Pat Rabbitte, T.D.
Benelux – Minister Simon Coveney, T.D.
Germany – Minister of State Paul Kehoe, T.D.
Finland & Sweden – Minister of State John Perry, T.D.
Asia
China – Minister of State Ciaran Cannon, T.D.
Singapore – Minister Brendan Howlin, T.D.
Australia
Australia and New Zealand – Minister Alan Shatter.