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Taoiseach Enda Kenny representing Ireland in the United States for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations

The Taoiseach begins his St. Patrick’s Day visit to the United States today in Philadelphia, the first stop of a five-city programme in the US. During his seven day visit, the Taoiseach will work to advance Ireland’s economic and political interests in the US including promoting Ireland as a location for jobs, trade, tourism and investment, highlighting Ireland's priorities in the context of Brexit and continuing to make the case for US immigration reform and the undocumented Irish.

On Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia the Taoiseach will participate in a number of engagements with the Irish-American community and business groups including attending Philadelphia’s 247th St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, departing for Boston on Sunday evening. 

On Monday 13 March, the Taoiseach will meet Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. He will also meet existing and potential Enterprise Ireland and IDA clients, and later that evening will attend events at the JFK Library to mark the 100th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s birth.

On Tuesday morning after launching the Boston College-Ireland Business Council, the Taoiseach travels to Rhode Island where he will meet Governor Gina Raimondo, before opening the Ireland West International Trade Centre, and visiting TF Green Airport to mark the commencement of new transatlantic routes operated by Norwegian Airlines.

In Washington on Wednesday, the Taoiseach will meet senior business contacts at the US Chamber of Commerce and attend a business leaders’ lunch to promote the objectives of Ireland's Economic Promotion Agencies. He will celebrate Irish research excellence and industry-academic links at the presentation of the SFI St. Patrick's Day Science medal. He will also promote the new Creative Ireland Programme and launch its website as well as addressing the American Ireland Fund that evening.

On Thursday, the Taoiseach's programme will include a bilateral meeting with President Trump and events hosted by Vice President Pence and Speaker Ryan following meetings the previous day with a number of other senior political figures. The Taoiseach will use each of these opportunities to emphasise the strength of Irish-US relations, and our Brexit priorities and to continue to advocate for immigration reform to assist the many thousands of undocumented Irish in the US. The Taoiseach will also highlight Ireland's commitment to EU membership, emphasising the importance of the EU's core values of human dignity, freedom, democracy and equality.

On Friday, St. Patrick's Day, the Taoiseach travels to New York and will participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He will then speak at 'Ireland Day,' a major event to promote Ireland, hosted by Michael Bloomberg in Bloomberg Headquarters. He will also meet with Enterprise Ireland and IDA client companies, community and business representatives and attend the Tourism Ireland Greening of One World Trade Center before departing for Ireland later that evening.