Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland
01/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/27/2026 06:25
Government announces St. Patrick’s Day programme to promote trade and Ireland’s economy, celebrate our global diaspora and strengthen international partnerships
Press release
Government announces St. Patrick's Day programme to promote trade and Ireland's economy, celebrate our global diaspora and strengthen international partnerships
- 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 |
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland published this content on January 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 27, 2026 at 12:25 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]