Ministerial St Patrick's Day trips ignore South America

Rising superpowers Brazil and India have been left off the list of ministerial St Patrick’s Day visits, despite claims by the Coalition the annual exodus is about trade not junkets.

When coming to power in 2011, the Government insisted it would cut back on the trips, but this year will see 27 ministers head off abroad, with 16 travelling long-distance.

The omission of Brazil, whose economy recently overtook that of Britain’s in size to become the world’s sixth largest from the ministerial itinerary seems at odds with the Government’s claim that the trips are the “cornerstone” of the country’s international overseas trade and investment push.

No African or South American country will be visited, which means that G20 nation Argentina has also been overlooked, along with the rapidly expanding Indian economy.

Enda Kenny will make the traditional St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House where he will meet US president Barack Obama and congressional leaders. He will also visit Boston and New York.

Simon Coveney, the agriculture minister, will travel to the East coast of Australia and New Zealand in a week-long trip.

Ministers insist such visits are about promoting trade, tourism and cultural links but, while in opposition, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore was scathing in 2010 about then health minister Mary Harney’s two-week trip to New Zealand. Mr Gilmore branded it a “Lord of the Rings trail,” with the only thing missing being “a dinner hosted by Bilbo Baggins”.

This year, Mr Gilmore will visit France, and the only senior minister remaining in Ireland will be Ruairi Quinn.

North America will see 10 ministers visiting, with a further six travelling to Australasia, the Middle East, and East Asia.

Ministers travelling to Asia and Australasia include Brendan Howlin (China); Phil Hogan (United Arab Emirates); Frances Fitzgerald (Japan and Korea); Kathleen Lynch (Vietnam); Alan Kelly (Western Australia); and Paul Kehoe (Lebanon).