Politicians to make annual pilgrimage to global Irish communities

This year's plans for the annual St Patrick's Day trek by Irish politicians to sundry locales around the world has been announced by the Taoiseach.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern will visit Washington, DC, where they will celebrate the day at the White House and meet with the President and key Congressional leaders; they will discuss the issue of the undocumented, as will other Government Ministers visiting other American cities. The Taoiseach will also address the American Ireland Fund Dinner.

On the trip the Taoiseach will also travel to New York where he will meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. He will meet with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, visit the Twin Towers Memorial Centre and meet with leaders in the financial services industry.


United States
Taoiseach – New York and Washington
Tánaiste – Savannah
Minister Dermot Ahern - Washington
Minister Mary Coughlan - New York
Minister Brian Cowen - Chicago
Minister Martin Cullen – San Francisco
Minister Noel Dempsey – Dallas and Houston
Minister Mary Hanafin – Boston
Minister Éamon Ó Cuív- Phoenix
MoS Pat the Cope Gallagher – Atlanta and Philadelphia

Canada
Toronto - Minister Dick Roche

Britain
Minister John O’Donoghue – London
Minister of State Brendan Smith – Manchester
Minister of State Seán Power – Birmingham
Minister of State Conor Lenihan – Edinburgh

Rest of Europe
Austria – Minister of State Mary Wallace
France – Minister of State Brian Lenihan
Italy and the Holy See – Minister Seamus Brennan
Norway Sweden and Denmark – Minister Harney
Poland – Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt
Romania – Minister of State Noel Ahern
Russia – Minister of State Seán Haughey

Asia-Pacific
China – Minister of State John Browne
Japan – Minister of State Tim O’Malley
India – Minister of State Frank Fahey
Kuala Lumpur and Singapore – Minister of State Michael Ahern
Vietnam – Minister of State Batt O’Keeffe

South America
Argentina – Attorney General Rory Brady

Africa
South Africa – MoS Tom Parlon – Cape Town and Pretoria


For more details on each of these trips, see the Taoiseach's department website.