Press release

Government announces St. Patrick’s Day programme to promote trade and Ireland’s economy, celebrate our global diaspora and strengthen international partnerships

From: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Published on: 27 January 2026
Last updated on: 27 January 2026

The Government today announced the St. Patrick’s Day programme for 2026, which will see the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and representatives of the State travel to more than 50 countries to promote Ireland, Irish values and Ireland’s interests across the world.

Following the Government meeting, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, said:

“St. Patrick’s Day provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Ireland on the global stage and to engage at the highest levels with political, business, civil society, cultural and diaspora leaders. This year, 40 representatives of the State will carry Ireland’s message to cities across more than 50 countries worldwide.

“The theme for St. Patrick’s Day 2026 will highlight Ireland’s place in the world as a small, open trading economy. It will reflect our economic success, built on openness and strong partnerships, and Ireland’s long-standing commitment to multilateralism.”

Is pointe tábhachtach é Lá Fhéile Pádraig 2026 chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar phobal diaspóra na hÉireann, a leanann orthu ag cur go dearfach lena bpobail ar fud na cruinne. Leagfaidh clár Lá Fhéile Pádraig béim ar oidhreacht chultúrtha shaibhir na hÉireann agus ar na healaíona comhaimseartha dinimiciúla.

In line with the Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification, the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day programme will place a stronger emphasis on trade and investment. Ministers will promote trade, investment, tourism, and international research and education partnerships in priority locations, including high-value, new and emerging markets.

Ahead of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of the year, Ministers travelling within Europe will also engage with counterparts on preparations for the Presidency and underline the importance the Government places on shaping EU policy and decision-making.

In the United States, 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence. The St. Patrick’s Day programme will provide a timely opportunity to highlight the significant contribution of Irish people to the founding of the United States, as well as to its political, economic and social development over the past 250 years.

Programme of St. Patrick’s Day Visits 2026

Title	Name	Destination(s)
Taoiseach	Micheál Martin	Washington and Philadelphia
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance	Simon Harris	Paris, London
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Minister for Defence	Helen McEntee	Boston
Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation	Jack Chambers	Senegal, Nigeria
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment; and Minister for Transport	Darragh O’Brien	Brazil
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality	Norma Foley	Italy, The Holy See
Minister for Education and Youth	Hildegarde Naughton	Chile, Argentina
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment	Peter Burke	New York
Minister for Social Protection; and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht	Dara Calleary	Ottawa and Toronto
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport	Patrick O’Donovan	Atlanta, Savannah
Minister for Health	Jennifer Carroll MacNeill	Germany
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration	Jim O’Callaghan	Greece and Cyprus
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage	James Browne	Chicago
Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine	Martin Heydon	San Francisco
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science	James Lawless	Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney
Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health	Mary Butler	Portugal and Spain
Attorney General	Rossa Fanning SC	India
Ceann Comhairle	Verona Murphy	Los Angeles
Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality with responsibility for Disability	Emer Higgins	Denmark and Sweden
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine with responsibility for Food Promotion, New Markets, Research and Development	Noel Grealish	New Zealand
Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports	Sean Canney	Japan and Korea
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for European Affairs and at the Department of Defence	Thomas Byrne	Poland, Ukraine and Moldova
Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion	Michael Moynihan	Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia
Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport with special responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy	Charlie McConalogue	Thailand and Vietnam
Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance	Robert Troy	Austin
Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with responsibility for the Office of Public Works	Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran	Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide
Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with special responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment	Frank Feighan	Philippines and Singapore
Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy	Jennifer Murnane O’Connor	The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture	Michael Healy-Rae	Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora	Neale Richmond	South Africa, Mozambique and Jordan
Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities; and Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport	Jerry Buttimer	China
Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning	John Cummins	Scotland and North of England
Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity	Christopher O’Sullivan	Kenya and Tanzania
Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Older People; and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Housing: Kieran O’Donnell	Kieran O’Donnell	Wales
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation	Niamh Smyth	Miami
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Small Businesses and Retail; and, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Circular Economy	Alan Dillion	Mexico and Guatemala
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment with special responsibility for Fisheries and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for the Marine	Timmy Dooley	Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton
Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for Migration	Colm Brophy	Austria and Czechia
Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with special responsibility for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills	Marian Harkin	France and Monaco
Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice	Niall Collins	Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE

Government announces St. Patrick’s Day programme to promote trade and Ireland’s economy, celebrate our global diaspora and strengthen international partnerships

Programme of St. Patrick’s Day Visits 2026

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