Jet-setting ministers promoting Ireland
Argentina, Canada, China, India, Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam are among some of the exotic destinations to which Cabinet members and junior ministers will travel.
The trips cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of euro each year. Last year, for example, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern’s visit to Dallas and Washington cost the Exchequer €51,000, while Community Affairs Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv’s journey to New Zealand cost €36,000.
The full travel programme for this year has yet to be finalised, but the Government last night released a preliminary list of the ministers travelling and their destinations. The list was contained in a lengthy nine-page memo defending the trips.
“Every year on March 17, the world’s attention turns to Ireland and all things Irish,” the memo stated, adding in bold text: “This goodwill offers an unrivalled opportunity to promote modern Ireland overseas and to engage directly on a variety of issues with global leaders.”
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will lead the promotional effort, visiting New York on Tuesday and Washington on Wednesday for a series of events, among them the traditional St Patrick’s Day ceremony at the White House.
However, as St Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday and the White House does not generally host events on the weekend, Mr Ahern will meet President George Bush on Friday morning before flying home that afternoon.
Tánaiste Michael McDowell travels to Savannah, Georgia, while Finance Minister Brian Cowen will represent the Government in Chicago. Transport Minister Martin Cullen heads to San Francisco, while Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan will be in New York. Communications Minister Noel Dempsey goes to Dallas and Houston, Texas, while Education Minister Mary Hanafin will be in Boston.
Mr Ó Cuiv will go to Phoenix, Arizona this year, while junior minister Pat The Cope Gallagher will be in Philadelphia and Atlanta.
Health Minister Mary Harney visits Norway, Sweden and Denmark over several days, while Social
Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan will be in Italy and the Vatican. Environment Minister Dick Roche travels to Canada, Government chief whip Tom Kitt visits Poland, while Attorney General Rory Brady is in Argentina.
Arts Minister John O’Donoghue will go to London, while junior ministers Brendan Smith, Sean Power and Conor Lenihan will be in Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh respectively.
Other junior ministers travelling include Mary Wallace [Austria], Brian Lenihan [France], Noel Ahern [Romania], Sean Haughey [Russia], John Browne [China], Tim O’Malley [Japan], Frank Fahey [India], Michael Ahern [Malaysia and Singapore], Batt O’Keeffe [Vietnam] and Tom Parlon [South Africa].
