Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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41. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will boycott the traditional St. Patrick's Day visit to the White House in light of President Trump's advocacy for ethnic cleansing and a US occupation of Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4499/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Saint Patrick’s Day has for many years served as a unique opportunity to celebrate and promote Irish culture, to recognise our diaspora and to platform and promote Ireland as an excellent location to do business and to invest, in particular in the United States.

Ireland had a good working relationship with President Trump and his administration during his previous term in office. The Government is committed to maintaining a constructive partnership with all US administrations and, more broadly, to continue to enhance our extensive and strong bilateral relationship, including the vital people-to-people relationship, with the US.

The Government’s planning for the St. Patrick’s Day programme is currently being finalised, but it will likely include a significant number of Ministerial programmes in the US. My officials are working actively with the new US Administration regarding arrangements to mark St Patrick’s day in Washington in March 2025.

Ireland enjoys extremely strong relations with the United States, including a significant and mutually beneficial trade and investment relationship which is worth more than €1 trillion annually. The traditional St. Patrick’s Day Programme in Washington provides the Taoiseach with unique access to a wide range of US government, Congressional, business and other partners and is an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with US decision makers, including global issues of concern.

More broadly, the Government remains committed to international cooperation and dialogue, through well-established bilateral and multilateral channels, as essential means by which we are address and resolve global challenges. Ireland’s position on the Middle East is clear and will always form part of our foreign policy dialogue with the United States, as it does with other partners.