Scandinavia, Baltic, Africa St Patrick's Day missions for Laois Offaly Ministers

Laois Offaly Ministers Seán Fleming and Pippa Hackett will be heading to contrasting St Patrick's Day destinations as part of the exodus of Government representatives around the world on March 17.

The Government says St Patrick’s Day is an "unparalleled opportunity" to promote Ireland as a "great place to visit, work, study, trade with, and invest in". This year 38 State representatives will bring Ireland’s message to 86 cities in 48 countries. The 2024 project is up on the previous year when 36 State representatives went to 74 cities in 44 countries.

Apart from the Ministers travelling many of their staff will also be heading overseas on Ireland's national day. 

Fianna Fáil's Laois-based TD Minister Fleming, who has responsibility for International Development and Diaspora at the Department of Foreign Affairs, is set for Nigeria and Ghana. He went to Brazil in 2023 which reportedly cost some €9,000.

PICTURED: BOLAJI ADEYANJU OF THE LAOIS AFRICA SUPPORT GROUP AND MINISTER PIPPA HACKETT AT A LAOIS INTERCULTURAL DAY.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon, who is a TD for Laois and Offaly voters around Portarlington and Killenard, is off to Germany.

St Patrick’s Day 2024 Ministerial Plans

• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar United States - Washington & Boston
• Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs; Minister for Defence Micheál Martin Canada - Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto
• Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications; Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan - Brazil
• Minister for Finance Michael McGrath - China
• Minister for Public Expenditure and National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Paschal Donohoe - France, Bulgaria
• Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney - India, Bangladesh
• Minister for Education Norma Foley UK - Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester, London
• Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin United States - Nashville, Austin
• Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien - South Africa, Zambia 
• Minister for Social Protection; Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys United States - Springfield, Chicago & Madison
• Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue - Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan 
• Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth Roderic O'Gorman - Japan - Tokyo, Osaka
• Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly Australia - Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
• Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science Simon Harris - UK - London
• Minister for Justice Helen McEntee United States - New York
• Chief Whip & MOS D/Taoiseach, D/Health - Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton- Singapore
• MOS D/Taoiseach & Foreign Affairs - EU Affairs and the Department of Defence Peter Burke - United States - Atlanta & Savannah
• MOS Foreign Affairs - International Development & Diaspora Seán Fleming - Nigeria, Ghana
• MOS DPENDR and TCAGSM - OPW and the Gaeltacht Patrick O'Donovan - United States - St Louis & Kansas City
• MOS DPENDR & DECC - Public Procurement and eGovernment; Communications and Circular Economy Ossian Smyth - Korea
• MOS D/Education - Special Education & Inclusion Josepha Madigan - Switzerland
• MOS DFHERIS - Skills and Further Education Niall Collins - United States - Cleveland, Pittsburgh
• MOS D/Transport & D/Environment, Climate and Communications - International and Road Transport and Logistics; Postal Policy Jack Chambers -New Zealand - Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland
• MOS D/Agriculture, Food and the Marine - Land Use and Biodiversity Senator Pippa Hackett - Finland, Estonia and Latvia
• MOS D/ Agriculture, Food and the Marine - R&D, Farm Safety and New Market Development Martin Heydon - Germany
• MOS D/Health & D/ Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth - Disability Anne Rabbitte - Sweden, Denmark
• MOS D/Enterprise, Trade and Employment & D/SP - Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond -  Croatia, Slovenia
• MOS D/Rural and Community Development, D/SP, D/Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth - Community Development and Charities; Integration Joe O'Brien - The Netherlands, Belgium
• MOS D/Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Local Government and Planning Kieran O'Donnell - Slovakia, Austria, Czechia
• MOS D/ Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan - Poland, Romania
• MOS D/Enterprise, Trade & Employment - Trade Promotion & Digital Transformation  Dara Calleary -Peru, Chile and Argentina
• MOS D/TCAGSM, D/Education - Sport and Physical Education Thomas Byrne - United States - Phoenix, Los Angeles
• MOS D/Finance - Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill -  United States - Miami; Costa Rica and Mexico
• MOS D/Justice - International Law, Law Reform & Youth Justice James Browne - Vietnam
• MOS D/Health - Mental Health and Older People  Mary Butler - Cyprus, Italy, Holy See
• Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl - Spain, Portugal 
• Seanad Cathaoirleach - Jerry Buttimer United States - San Francisco & Seattle
• Attorney General Rossa Fanning - United States - Washington and Boston

The Department of Foreign Affairs outlined more about this year's ventures abroad.

"The theme for St Patrick’s Day 2024 will be “Ireland’s Future in the World”, which will focus on young Irish people, and our diaspora, and their perspectives about 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.

"Ministers will emphasise Ireland’s commitment to international peace and security and the rules-based multilateral system, especially at this time of conflict and turbulence. Other key messages will include the strength of Ireland’s economy, our active membership of the European Union, our commitment to protecting the Good Friday Agreement, and the high priority we attach to climate action and sustainability," it said.

The Department concluded by saying programmes undertaken by Ministers will strengthen inks with the diaspora and business leaders.