There will be strong local representation abroad on St Patrick’s Day as the government have confirmed who will be Ireland’s representatives.
Laois TD and Minister for State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Sean Fleming, is off to Africa.
He will visit Nigeria and Ghana while Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett is also on the move.
The Geashill native is set to see the Baltic countries of Estonia and Latvia as well as moving a little further north to Finland.
Meanwhile, Minister for State with responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety, and New Market Development, Martin Heydon, is off to Germany.
Minister Heydon, who has been a Fine Gael TD since 2011, serves the constituency of Kildare South an area that also includes Portarlington, Killenard and Ballybrittas.
Locally, Laois will be represented by Laois County Council Cathaoirleach Paschal McEvoy who will travel to New York.
The council has once again received their annual invitation to take part in the huge parade, by the Laois Association in New York.
The usual visit is over several days and involves walking in the parade, as well as attending meetings to promote Laois for business and tourism.
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.
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.
Ministers
- Leo Varadkar: USA (Washington, Boston)
- Micheál Martin: Canada (Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto)
- Eamon Ryan: Brazil
- Michael McGrath: China
- Paschal Donohoe: France and Bulgaria
- Simon Coveney: India and Bangladesh
- Norma Foley: UK (Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester, London)
- Catherine Martin: USA (Nashville, Austin)
- Darragh O’Brien: South Africa and Zambia
- Heather Humphreys: USA (Springfield, Chicago, Madison)
- Charlie McConalogue: Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan
- Roderic O’Gorman: Japan (Tokyo, Osaka)
- Stephen Donnelly: Australia (Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney)
- Simon Harris: UK (London)
- Helen McEntee: USA (New York)
Ministers of State
- Hildegarde Naughton: Singapore
- Peter Burke: USA (Atlanta, Savannah)
- Seán Fleming: Nigeria and Ghana
- Patrick O’Donovan: USA (St Louis and Kansas City)
- Ossian Smyth: Korea
- Josepha Madigan: Switzerland
- Niall Collins: USA (Cleveland and Pittsburgh)
- Jack Chambers: New Zealand (Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland)
- Senator Pippa Hackett: Finland, Estonia and Latvia
- Martin Heydon: Germany
- Anne Rabbitte: Sweden and Denmark
- Neale Richmond: Croatia and Slovenia
- Joe O’Brien: The Netherlands and Belgium
- Kieran O’Donnell: Slovakia, Austria and Czechia
- Malcolm Noonan: Poland and Romania
- Dara Calleary: Peru, Chile and Argentina
- Thomas Byrne: USA (Phoenix and Los Angeles)
- Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill: USA (Miami), Costa Rica and Mexico
- James Browne: Vietnam
- Mary Butler: Cyprus, Italy, Holy See
Others
- Dáil Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Spain and Portugal
- Seanad Cathaoirleach, Jerry Buttimer: USA (San Francisco, Seattle)
- Attorney General, Rossa Fanning: USA (Washington, Boston)
