Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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This year, 27 Ministers will undertake programmes focussed on trade tourism and investment in more than 35 cities in 23 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East supported by the Embassy network (full list included). It is expected that Ministers will participate in more than 80 high-level political meetings, including bilateral meetings with President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron. They will also attend over 100 business events and participate in cultural, networking and Irish community events throughout the St. Patrick’s Day period as part of an intensive “Promote Ireland” programme.

As our number-one export market and the source of 80 percent of all foreign direct investment to Ireland, North America features heavily in the programme again this year with Ministers undertaking programmes in 11 US and two Canadian cities. Among the destinations included in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day programme for the first time are Mexico and Vietnam – two important emerging markets identified in the soon-to-be-published Review of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. Mexico and Vietnam have a combined population of more than 200 million people with total Irish exports to the two countries up by 8 percent and 41 percent respectively between 2010 and 2012.

Russia is also included in the St. Patrick’s Day programme for the first time since 2010, reflecting the impressive growth of Irish exports to the country in recent years. Goods exports to Russia have increased by 69 percent since 2010.

2014 St Patrick’s Day programme: