Ministerial St Patrick's Day trips abroad ‘significantly reduced’

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.

In a sign of the increasing need to form a government, Taoiseach Enda Kenny is also cutting short his visit to Washington and will return home early to address the political uncertainty.

A number of his senior Fine Gael ministers will also not travel to events abroad as efforts continue on the formation of a government.