Taoiseach Micheál Martin begins official St. Patrick's Day visit to the US from today, Monday, March 10, the Department of the Taoiseach confirmed today.
The Taoiseach will be in Austin, Texas today and tomorrow, before traveling to Washington, DC on Tuesday evening where he'll be until Friday.
In Austin, the Taoiseach will attend a series of political, economic, and Irish community engagements, as well as attend South by Southwest (SXSW).
In Washington, DC, he will partake in the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations as well as a full programme of economic engagements, including a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump.
“St Patrick’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate Ireland’s international connections and partnerships, which enrich both Ireland and our partners overseas," the Taoiseach said ahead of his visit to the US.
"The US is one of Ireland’s strongest partners, a partnership built on a rich foundation of ancestral ties and close economic, diplomatic and political links.
"I am looking forward to visiting Austin and Washington to celebrate this enduring and dynamic relationship. My visit will aim to further strengthen the bonds between our two countries with a focus on economic, political and people-to-people connections.
“It is the people-to-people connections and our diaspora in the US that is the engine that drives the relationship between Ireland and the US. Many of the events in Austin and Washington DC will be an opportunity to recognize their invaluable contribution both to the US across the fields of innovation, creativity, community development, business, and academia, and to deepening the close bonds across the Atlantic.
“My visit is also an opportunity to highlight our strong and growing trade and investment relationship, a relationship that is increasingly two-way. Ireland is the sixth largest source of foreign direct investment in the US, supporting hundreds and thousands of jobs across the US. This substantial investment underscores the commitment of Irish enterprises to the US market and reflects a deepening economic interdependence between the two countries. I look forward to engaging with Irish and US companies working to grow this mutually beneficial relationship.
“I also look forward to attending South by Southwest in Austin where I will help to showcase Ireland’s well-deserved reputation for innovation and creativity and to support business–to-business connections in key sectors.
“I am delighted to be meeting with President Trump and to have an opportunity to reflect with him on the bilateral relationship.
"President Trump knows Ireland well, having visited on a number of occasions and I know that his beautiful golf club in Doonbeg is very close to his heart. I will update him on the situation in Northern Ireland and express our deep appreciation to the US for their continued support for peace and reconciliation on our island.
“My visit to the US comes at a moment of great peril for the world. The US remains an indispensable partner and global actor. I look forward to discussing with President Trump how Ireland, together with our EU partners, can work with him and his administration to end conflict and to secure peace, whether in the Middle East or in Ukraine.”
The Taoiseach in Texas - March 10 through March 11
The Taoiseach’s programme commences on Monday, 10 March, in Austin, Texas. He will meet with the Governor of the State of Texas, Greg Abbott, to discuss the deep economic and people-to-people ties between the State and Ireland.
In recognition of those strong economic links, in the morning, the Taoiseach will visit the headquarters of Dell, a long-time investor and employer in Ireland.
He will also visit Tricentis, a US software company, where the Taoiseach will help announce the company’s investment in Ireland.
In the afternoon, the Taoiseach will visit SXSW where he will meet with a number of Enterprise Ireland client companies, open a Screen Ireland event, and attend a Pop-Up Gaeltacht.
He will also have an on-stage interview, the only interview with a head of Government at SXSW. That evening, the Taoiseach will speak at the Consulate General’s St Patrick’s Day reception taking place in Ireland House at SXSW.
On Tuesday, March 11, the Taoiseach will start the day with a visit to the Texas State Legislature, meeting with State Legislators, before departing for Washington DC.
The Taoiseach in Washington, DC - March 11 through March 14
The Taoiseach's first event in Washington, DC will be on Tuesday evening when he attends the Embassy of Ireland's annual St Patrick’s Day reception.
Then, traditional high-level political engagements in Washington DC will take place on Wednesday, March 12. The Taoiseach will meet bilaterally with President Donald J Trump.
The Department said that discussions are expected to cover a broad agenda of issues, including the deep ties and economic relationship between the US and Ireland and shared global challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
The meeting, the Department said on Monday, will also be an opportunity for the Taoiseach to update President Trump on the situation in Northern Ireland, recognizing the huge contribution the US has made to securing peace in Northern Ireland.
The White House St Patrick’s Day reception, including the traditional shamrock gifting ceremony, will take place on the evening of Wednesday, March 12. The Taoiseach will present President Trump with the traditional shamrock bowl, extending St. Patrick’s Day greetings from the people of Ireland to the people of the US.
The traditional bowl of shamrock at the White House for St. Patrick's Day 2023. (White House / Flickr)
On Thursday, March 13, the Taoiseach will showcase the strength of the US-Ireland economic relationship. He will host a working breakfast with members of the newly established Strategic Economic Advisory Panel (SEAP).
Following this, he will attend and speak at a series of events hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, and the US Chamber of Commerce, meeting senior US and Irish executives to explore how the Ireland-US two-way trade and investment partnership can help create more jobs and growth in both countries.
He will also present Research Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Medals to Prof Richard Kearney for his academic achievements in the field of philosophy, and to Mr. Michael Dowling, CEO of Northwell Health, New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer.
On the evening of March 13, the Taoiseach will attend the Ireland Funds National Gala, which the Department says will be an opportunity to reflect on the strong and deep relationship between Ireland and the US and to thank the US for its immense contribution to fostering peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
On Friday, March 14, the Taoiseach will have a number of further economic engagements and will also visit the headquarters of Hanley Energy, an Irish company specializing in design, development, and supply of solutions for data centres and which is investing heavily in the US market.
The Taoiseach will also meet with high-level representatives of the US Jewish community to discuss the rise of global antisemitism and actions by Ireland to combat antisemitism, both at home and internationally.
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