US vice president Joe Biden declared “I am delighted to be home” after arriving in Ireland last night for his six-day visit.

The number of ministerial trips abroad for the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations have been cut by two thirds this year in the wake of the collapse of the Fine Gael-Labour coalition.

An exodus of ministers to foreign countries for the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations will see them and their officials and Enda Kenny visit dozens of cities across four continents.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister of the Northern Executive, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, have made a joint presentation to an audience of senior business leaders at the New York Stock Exchange earlier today.

AT about this time every year the US media looks for stories about Ireland.