Remarks by Taoiseach Micheál Martin at St Patrick’s Day Business Leaders’ Lunch, Willard Intercontinental Hotel, 16 March 2026

16 March 2026

Thank you, Ambassador, for your kind introduction.

Tá fáilte romhaibh go léir – Ambassador Byrne Nason, Ambassador Walsh, distinguished guests and friends.

St Patrick’s Day offers a moment to reflect on the enduring partnership between Ireland and the United States that has shaped both our nations, and the practical work that keeps it strong.

As business leaders you drive our economic partnership, delivering opportunity on both sides of the Atlantic.

This year, America marks the 250th anniversary of its independence. Many of the Irish who played such a central role in that revolutionary story came here to find opportunity.

They traded their business ledgers for revolution.

John Dunlap was a printer. Matthew Thornton was a doctor. James Smith was a lawyer and Commodore John Barry was a merchant seaman.

My fellow Corkonian Stephen Moylan was a merchant and ship-owner and the first to use the phrase the United States of America in writing.

The freedom they fought for has been inherited by more than 35 million people in this great country who claim Irish heritage.

To each of them, and to all of you here today, I wish a very happy St Patrick’s Day.

I am deeply honoured that Ireland will once again be welcomed so warmly in the highest offices across this land.

Tomorrow, I will of course meet with President Trump in the White House.

I will also enjoy the hospitality of the Vice-President and Second Lady in their home; and I look forward to Speaker Mike Johnson’s assembly of Ireland’s great Congressional friends for lunch in the Capitol.

When I meet them, I will reflect on an Ireland - US relationship which is not just rooted in people-to-people ties but also, importantly, in an economic partnership that supports jobs, investment and opportunity on both sides of the Atlantic.

While it is certainly a relationship with deep roots, the partnership we have today is modern, dynamic, and future facing.

Team Ireland has a remarkable and growing footprint in the United States.

Last September, Ireland’s new Embassy to the United States took up residence at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue – the second-best address in DC!

This is a strong statement of our commitment to the relationship, and our readiness to invest in making it even more ambitious and successful in the future.

I see that same ambition for the future in this room, those of you who work every day to deepen business links, to strengthen supply chains, and write the next chapter of this economic story.

More than 800 US firms operate in Ireland, many of them the biggest names in business. In Ireland, they have found a strategic European base from which to reach their global potential.

Ireland is a trusted gateway to the European market, offering access to high-quality and globally demanded skillsets, and providing a stable, supportive environment in which to build-out strong and resilient American supply chains.

But this is very much a two-way street: Ireland is now the 5th largest investor in the United States.

Irish investment is valued at over $390 billion, and Irish businesses employ over 200,000 people across America.

Irish companies bring cutting-edge innovation in sectors such as life sciences, financial services, and technology. They are creating jobs and opportunities in communities across the United States.

Take Kingspan – a global leader in insulation and building solutions. It forecasts $1 billion in capital investment in America and employs 2,700 people across 17 states.

In rural states like Kentucky and Arkansas, this investment means high quality American jobs. It means taking vacant brownfield sites and turning dereliction into opportunity.

Kerry Group is a global leader in taste and nutrition. Its cumulative investment in the U.S. is more than $5 billion.

Kerry’s 6,000 employees are spread across 19 states, including its largest-ever investment in Rome, Georgia.

Later this year, Kerry will open a new facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Irish companies are also emerging as pivotal partners in the United States’ drive to lead the global AI revolution.

We need only look to neighbouring Virginia, the data centre capital of the world, where Irish companies such as CEL Critical Power are delivering real value that matters for America’s future.

Through major investments and long-term partnerships, Irish companies are strengthening America’s competitiveness in AI, advanced manufacturing, and the data infrastructure of tomorrow.

Taken together, these investments tell an important story.

Irish enterprise in America is not only helping to build capacity and create high-quality jobs – its innovation is also embedded in communities, supply chains and households across this country.

The Irish food and drink industry continues to bring world-class products to American tables across all 50 states: premium dairy, grass-fed beef and the world’s finest spirits and Irish Cream Liqueurs.

Earlier today I was delighted to mark the launch of Irish lamb in the US market. Another sign of the quality credentials and reputation of Irish food.

This spring, I hope you will all take an opportunity to sample a taste of Irish lamb – I can personally attest to its quality!

Tourism and travel play a crucial role in strengthening our connections.

Every year, over one million Americans visit Ireland, immersing themselves in our culture, finding out about their heritage, exploring our landscapes, and forging lifelong friendships.

This summer there will be a record 23 US gateways to Ireland, with new direct air routes from Pittsburgh and Raleigh-Durham.

And, of course, sport and culture also create a shared language. College Football sets Dublin alight each autumn.

In August we will be welcoming Texas Christian University and the University of North Carolina for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

Our cooperation extends beyond commerce and culture, into discovery and innovation.

The US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme marks its 20th anniversary this year, and I’m delighted it will scale new heights in 2026.

Based on the principles of the Good Friday Agreement – equality, partnership and mutual respect – this tripartite partnership between the United States, Ireland and Northern Ireland promotes high-quality, collaborative research across the three jurisdictions.

Over $175million dollars has been invested by all partners, funding impactful and strategic projects in areas like agriculture, cybersecurity, energy and health.

I was pleased earlier today, along with Deputy First Minister Little-Pengelly and Brien Stone from the National Science Foundation, to announce support from Ireland, Northern Ireland and the US for a new $20 million investment in a US-Ireland Research Translation and Commercialisation Initiative.

With the support of Inter Trade Ireland, this will identify research with long-term commercialisation potential and provide bespoke training to help researchers along the commercialisation path.

I also wish to mention the prestigious Research Ireland St. Patrick’s Day Medal.

Each year, this award recognises exceptional academic and industry leaders with strong Irish roots who, from their positions in the United States, continue to champion and support Ireland’s research community.

Today, we will honour two outstanding scientific leaders whose achievements exemplify the very best of our global research community.

Later in proceedings, I will present the Academic Medal to Professor Lynne S. Taylor, Retter Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy at Purdue University, and the Industry Medal to Dr Sarah O’Keeffe, Group Vice President for Product Research and Development at Eli Lilly and Company.

I look forward to hearing from them about their journey, their impact and their influence.

Our collaboration is ever evolving and quite literally pushing into new frontiers. Bilateral engagement on the peaceful use of outer space is one such area.

The U.S. has shown leadership in developing the Artemis Accords.

I am pleased that Ireland has decided to join the Accords, and we look forward to exploring all the opportunities that this unlocks.

For 250 years, our stories have been intertwined. For the decades ahead, I see our task as harnessing the limitless potential of this partnership to meet the challenges of a changing world – and to do so together.

And before I close, I want to leave you with three practical asks.

First, for those US companies represented here today, who may be considering expansion outside of United States, I ask you to keep Ireland and the Ireland - US relationship at the centre of your strategy. You will not regret it.

Second, work together. If you are an Irish company in the United States, I encourage you to leave today with one new partnership - a customer, a channel, or a co-development opportunity.

Let’s convert more research into products, pilots into commercial partnerships, ideas into opportunities that can scale.

Third, in a more uncertain world, your voice matters. A strong transatlantic relationship is essential. In a period of global volatility, our shared interest is stability, rules, and certainty for investors.

Ireland will continue to play its role as a bridge between the US and Europe. We will continue to advocate for close EU-US engagement, because when America and Europe work together, we help shape a global economy that is more resilient, more innovative and more secure.

One final request: if you see a barrier or a challenge in how you operate - in regulation, skills, mobility, supply chains, or the practicalities of doing business - tell your contacts in Team Ireland so we can identify what we can do about it and how we can plot a course forward together.

I am very proud of the strong team we have across the United States, and they are here to support you however they can.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh agus beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir.

Happy St Patrick’s Day to you all.

Thank you.

ENDS