11th March 2025
Minister of State, Niamh Smyth, to travel to Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
Minister of State, Alan Dillon, to travel to Vancouver and Salt Lake City
The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, will travel to the United States for a series of engagements in Boston and Concord to mark St Patrick’s Day this week.
Minister Burke said:
“I am delighted to be travelling to Massachusetts and New Hampshire to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, and I look forward to meeting with the Irish community and broader stakeholders to celebrate our national day. Ireland is a dynamic, competitive and globally connected country and I will be emphasising the importance of our cultural, social, trade and investment relationships.
“Boston can be described as the most Irish City in the US, with 23% of residents identifying themselves as Irish or of Irish descent. We have seen in recent decades the thriving business and economic sector here, and there continues to be great opportunities for Irish businesses looking to set up, and for Boston businesses expanding their European base in Ireland”.
Minister Burke will commence his trip with a series of engagements in Boston, including attending the Boston Young Leaders St Patrick’s Day celebration and meeting with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey at Massachusetts State House.
The Minister will travel on to Portsmouth and Concord, New Hampshire where he will have an important opportunity to engage with the Republican Governor of New Hampshire, Kelly Ayotte. The Minister will attend a lunch hosted by the Commissioner for Business and Economic Affairs, Taylor Caswell, where he will meet members of the recently formed Irish Trade Council.
Minister Burke will meet with EI and IDA client companies during his time in New England. He will visit the Irish Pastoral Centre to meet with the Irish Pastoral Centre Board and see first-hand the valuable work being done on the ground by their immigration and welfare teams.
On Sunday, Minister Burke will attend the South Boston parade where he will march with senior political figures. After the parade, the Minister will travel to the Seafood Expo at the Boston Convention Centre to meet Irish companies attending the event.
Minister Burke will conclude his visit with further meetings with EI and IDA clients, prospective companies and will deliver remarks at the Irish American Partnership breakfast.
Minister of State with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth, will travel to Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Minister Smyth said:
“My visit to Finland and the three Baltic states presents a valuable opportunity to engage on trade, foreign policy and diaspora. I look forward to gaining perspectives in the fields of AI and digitisation from our neighbours. Securing a level playing field for open, rules-based trade globally and within the EU single market is a core tenet of Irish trade policy and one I look forward to discussing.”
Minister of State with special responsibility for Small Businesses and Retail, Alan Dillon, will travel to Vancouver and Salt Lake City. He will undertake a series of engagements relevant to trade and the diaspora.
Minister Dillon said:
“I look forward to meeting with our Canadian and American neighbours and strengthening our bilateral relations even further. This trip provides a unique opportunity to connect with people of Irish descent in Vancouver and Salt Lake City.”
ENDS
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