Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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889. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the visit of the Minister of State with special responsibility for community development, charities, the Gaeltacht and the islands to New Zealand for St. Patrick's Day; the meetings he attended, the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13400/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The period around Saint Patrick's Day provides a unique opportunity to promote Ireland around the world, connect with the 70 million people around the world of Irish descent, and celebrate Ireland’s international connections and partnerships.

As part of the Government’s programme of international travel for Saint Patrick's Day, Minister Jerry Buttimer travelled to New Zealand to represent the Government. The programme took place over 10 days, and included 32 events based around economic, cultural, community and political engagements in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland.

Events included the Auckland Arts Festival, in partnership with Tourism Ireland, where Minister Buttimer attended a play reading of Brian Friel’s Translations in Te Reo Maori, Aotea Centre - Nga Whakamaoritanga. He also met with the vibrant Irish diaspora when he visited The Hutt Valley Irish Society in Wellington, the St. Patrick’s Day Community Day in Auckland Irish Club and St. Patrick’s Day Community Reception in Christchurch.

He attended the 10th Edition of the New Zealand Rural Games in Palmerston North were he was greeted by Minister Mark Patterson MP, Minister for Rural Communities and Associate Minister for Agriculture along with Minister Todd McClay, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Forestry, Minister for Trade and Investment and Associated Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister Andrew Hoggard MP, Minister for Biosecurity and Food Safety and the Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare, Skills) and for the Environment.

In addition to such events, he also had a number of bilateral meetings. This included meeting Minister Tama Potaka, Minister for Conservation, Maori Development and Minister Louise Upston, Minister for the Community & Voluntary Sector. He also attended the Speaker lunch in New Zealand Parliament. He met with Maori Business leaders and visited the Maoriland Hub (Centre of Maori Film and Arts Excellence), where he met Maori animators taking part in an Indigenous Language Exchange between Screen Wellington and Galway City of Film.

He also participated in 6 State agency engagements where he attended Enterprise Ireland Business Advisory Network in Auckland, who were celebrating 10 years in existence and he also attended a Networking event with Irish Business Network of New Zealand (IBNNZ) of the Christchurch Chapter.

With the visit now concluded, he will be working hard with those he met, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, to further develop trade opportunities and the links between our two countries.