The government has dispatched ministers around the world ahead of St Patrick’s Day on Monday.
It’s about “promoting Ireland’s economy, celebrating our diaspora and engaging with our partners”, the government says.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been in Washington for a tense meeting with US President, Donald Trump.
Irish officials are breathing a sigh of relief that the US trip didn’t descend into an argument, as Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy experienced in the Oval Office a week earlier.
“The Taoiseach dodged a bullet compared to other meetings in the Oval Office”, said Niamh King from the US foreign and security think tank, the Aspen Security Forum.
The Taoiseach’s visit coincided with US tariffs coming into force on European steel and aluminium.
During the meeting with Micheál Martin, President Trump mainly criticised the EU, but also suggested he would ‘even the playing field’ with Ireland too.
Trump believes the US trade deficit with Ireland and the EU is unfair. He also strongly criticised previous US administrations for ‘allowing’ US phramaseucical companies to set up in Ireland.
The Taoiseach pushed back, that America also benefited from US firms basing themselves in Ireland.
Later Donald Trump was presented with a bowl of shamrock, continuing an annual tradition going back decades.
Apart from the Taoiseach’s visit to the US, a whole host of ministers are jetting off to fly the flag for Ireland ahead of and during St Patrick’s Day.
The government says “38 representatives of the State will bring Ireland’s message to more than 90 cities in 40 countries.”
“St Patrick’s Day offers a unique opportunity to promote Ireland’s interests around the world and to promote Ireland as a place to invest, visit, work or study.”
Tánaiste, Simon Harris, Minister for Climate, Darragh O’Brien and Tourism Minister, Peter Burke are amongst nine ministers posted across the United States.
A further 15 ministers will be spread out across Europe.
Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, has already been in Paris where he met former EU Brexit negotiator and former French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier.
“Ireland always had a special place in my heart”, Barnier tweeted earlier.
Four ministers will be in central and South America including Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers, who is visiting Chile and Argentina. Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Charlie McConalogue, is in Colombia.
Education Minister, Helen McEntee, will be in Australia
And Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Neale Richmond is visiting Kenya and Tanzania.
Housing Minister John Cummins, is in Thailand and the Philippines. And James Browne is in China.
Ministers will send the message that Ireland is “a small, open trading economy, with our economic success rooted in this openness and our willingness to build partnerships.”
“Ministers will promote Irish investment overseas, international research and education collaborations, mutually beneficial partnerships between Irish and overseas companies and the successes and growth of overseas companies that have chosen Ireland as their base in Europe.”
The St Patrick’s Day programme offers an unparalleled opportunity to build relationships with key political and business leaders, decision makers, and cultural and academic partners, the government says.