The Taoiseach will travel to Washington DC today for a series of engagements as part of the annual St Patrick’s Day programme.

Leo Varadkar was due to travel to New York on Tuesday to attend a meeting at the United Nations headquarters, but cancelled his plans last minute, allowing him to stay in Ireland to deal with the “evolving situation”

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will present the traditional bowl of shamrock to US president George Bush in the White House on Friday.

Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and US President George Bush will participate in the traditional Shamrock Ceremony on St Patrick’s Day at the White House.

The sisters and fiancée of the murdered Belfast man, Robert McCartney, are meeting President Bush in Washington this afternoon.