Taoiseach to lead charm offensive with reminder of firms' US investment

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he would look to remind the US of 'our strong and growing trade and investment relationship, a relationship that is increasingly two-way'. File Picture: Cameron Smith/PA

The Taoiseach will lead a charm offensive in the US this week, focused on reminding the Trump administration that Irish companies are large investors in the US.

Micheál Martin will also use the week to try and assure Jewish leaders that Ireland is tackling antisemitism.

Mr Martin will meet with US president Donald Trump on Wednesday, with Texas his first stop on Monday.

While in the US, the Taoiseach is expected to seek to remind the Trump administration that Irish-US trade is a mutual relationship. Mr Trump has pointed to trade imbalances with the US in recent weeks.

Government sources have said that the Taoiseach is likely to "focus on the positives" and remind Mr Trump that Ireland is the sixth largest source of foreign direct investment in the US — with $295bn spent in 2022 — with companies like Kerry Group and CRH highlighted. 

With the focus being on the Irish economic input in the US, sources said it is "unlikely" that the plight of undocumented Irish immigrants is raised with Mr Trump.

Mr Martin said that he would look to remind the US of "our strong and growing trade and investment relationship, a relationship that is increasingly two-way". 

'Rise in extremism'

A total of 10 ministers will go to the US as part of the St Patrick's Day exodus, with Mr Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris leading the charge in a bid to woo the new US leaders.

However, at home, the Government has been pushed to raise the "rise in authoritarianism and extremism" in the US under Mr Trump's leadership. 

The CEO of ActionAid Ireland, Karol Balfe, said ministers should raise issues such as Palestine, climate change, and the Trump White House's shuttering of USAid.

“The annual St Patrick’s Day exodus of senior ministers and their officials to the US comes at a moment of huge global uncertainty," Ms Balfe said.

In just under three months, president Trump has taken actions that are devastating to humanity

"They will result in a profound roll back on human rights, women’s rights, transgender rights, poverty eradication, climate action, and protection of civilians in places like Gaza and Ukraine.”

According to a government statement, Mr Martin will also "meet with high-level representatives of the US Jewish community to discuss the rise of global antisemitism and actions by Ireland to combat antisemitism — both at home and internationally".

The Taoiseach’s programme begins on Monday in Austin, Texas, where he will meet with the governor of the state, Greg Abbott, and will visit the headquarters of Dell — a long-time investor and employer in Ireland. 

He will also visit Tricentis, a US software company, where Mr Martin will help announce further investment for the company in Ireland, whose base here is in Cork. 

He will also attend the SXSW festival, where he will be the only world leader to be interviewed on stage.