The Taoiseach will be joined in Washington by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mícheál Martin TD.
The Taoiseach's visit to the US will be complemented by a series of working visits by Ministers to key markets. All ministerial programmes will have a strong focus on the promotion of trade, investment and tourism.
Announcing the programme, the Taoiseach said:
" St. Patrick's Day is a day of national celebration for Irish people and for our diaspora all round the world.
It gives Ireland a unique global platform and an opportunity to reflect on all that is best in our country.
This year, the focus of the Government's St Patrick's Day programme is firmly on creating jobs.
The road to economic recovery and new jobs for our people is through innovating at home and growing our exports abroad.
We can and will create the new jobs of the future through international trade, investment, tourism and the Smart Economy.
That is why Ministers will be visiting 16 of our main trading partners, as well as significant emerging markets in Europe and Asia.
IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Culture Ireland have come together with the Department of Foreign Affairs to design a comprehensive and dynamic programme that will showcase Ireland at her very best around the world.
We are sending out a positive message about Ireland.
We are tackling our economic problems head-on, we are creating the conditions for economic recovery and we are firmly focused on creating new jobs to tap into the great talents of our people. "
Following on the publication by the Tánaiste of the IDA's new strategy "Horizon 2020", the Taoiseach will publish the report of the Government's Innovation Taskforce before St Patrick's Day.
The key elements of the Taoiseach's programme are:
- the traditional presentation of the shamrock by the Taoiseach to President Obama
- a meeting between the Taoiseach and the President in the Oval Office that is expected to focus on the push for global economic recovery, recent developments in Northern Ireland, European and international issues and Ireland-US relations
- the St Patrick's Day lunch on Capitol Hill, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms Nancy Pelosi
- meetings with Vice-President Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- meetings with Irish community representatives in Chicago, as well as political leaders including Governor Pat Quinn and Mayor Richard M Daley
- business and trade promotion events in Chicago, Silicon Valley and Washington DC
- a keynote address to the Ireland Fund Dinner in Washington DC
- a meeting in Washington DC of US-based members of the Global Irish Network, which was established following the Global Irish Forum last year
The Taoiseach has instructed all Government Departments to ensure that costs are kept to a minimum. Unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise, first class flights, limousines, hotel suites and VIP lounges will not be used by Ministers.
Note for Editors
The following is a selection of elements in programmes for the ministerial working visits:
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms. Mary Coughlan T.D., will have engagements in Munich, Berlin and Dusseldorf. In Dusseldorf she will attend promotional events organised by Enterprise Ireland and the IDA
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr. Brendan Smith T.D., will visit Rome and Milan where he will be promoting Irish food exports in one of our largest markets.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., will visit Paris where he will speak on the economy at a business breakfast hosted by The Green Room, a young Irish professionals' network, and the Franco-Irish Chamber of Commerce.
The Minister for Transport, Mr. Noel Dempsey T.D., will meet companies in Atlanta which have major investments in Ireland and will visit the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Savannah which has links with Irish universities.
The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms. Mary Hanafin T.D., will speak at a lunch hosted by the Irish American Business Chamber and Network in Philadelphia.
The Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence, Mr. Pat Carey T.D.,will visit Houston and Dallas. In Houston he will visit the University of Houston to discuss R&D and energy trading.
The Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Barry Andrews T.D., will visit New York where he will speak at the Irish America Business 100 Awards.
The Minister of State at the Departments of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. John Curran T.D., will visit London, and Birmingham. There will be a strong tourism promotion dimension to the programme in London where the London Eye will turn green in honour of St. Patrick's Day.
The Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. John Moloney T.D., will visit Edinburgh and Glasgow. In Edinburgh he will meet Enterprise Ireland clients and speak at a working breakfast hosted by the local Irish business community.
The Minister for Education and Science, Mr. Batt O'Keeffe T.D., will visit Tokyo and Seoul. In Tokyo the Minister will speak at the Green Ireland Forum on renewable energy and will meet tour operators at a Tourism Festival which coincides with the St. Patrick's Day Parade. In Seoul the Minister will be advancing Education Ireland, a strategy to promote Ireland as a destination for international education.
The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Michael Finneran T.D., will visit Beijing and Shanghai. In Shanghai, the Minister will highlight Ireland's participation this year at Expo 2010, a global showcase for Irish innovation.
The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Eamon Ryan T.D., will have meetings in New Delhi and Mumbai where he will meet client companies of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.
The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr. Eamon Ó Cuiv T.D., will visit Warsaw where he will speak at an Irish Chamber of Commerce business breakfast and Vienna where he will have lunch with senior Irish and Austrian business representatives.
The Minister for Trade and Commerce, Mr. Billy Kelleher T.D., will travel to Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. In Sydney he will launch a major promotional programme for Tourism Ireland and the Sydney Opera House will turn green for the occasion.
The Minister for Health and Children, Ms. Mary Harney T.D., will attend meetings and other events in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington aimed at boosting Irish exports. She will meet client companies of Enterprise Ireland and attend business promotion events for EI and Tourism Ireland.
The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. Dara Calleary T.D., will have meetings with Enterprise Ireland client companies and Canadian members of the Global Irish Network in Toronto and will speak in Boston at a business breakfast hosted by the Irish American Partnership.
The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dick Roche T.D., will visit Moscow where he will open an Irish film festival and meet with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister.
The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Social and Family Affairs and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Ms. Áine Brady T.D., will visit Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. Tourism Ireland are launching a major promotional campaign in all three capitals that week.
The Minister of State at the Departments of Finance and Arts, Sport and Tourism, Dr. Martin Mansergh T.D., will visit Belgium and The Netherlands. In Brussels he will give the keynote address at an Enterprise Ireland seminar on the theme of "Research to Reality" at the secretariat of the European Economic and Social Committee. In the Netherlands the Minister will announce details of a major exhibition in September in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam of masterpieces by the Dutch artist, Gabriel Metsu, from the collection the National Gallery of Ireland.
As part of a field visit to South Africa and Lesotho the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Mr. Peter Power T.D., will represent the Government at Saint Patrick's Day events there. In Lesotho the Minister will view the implementation of the Irish Aid Programme, including a visit to the Clinton Partnership HIV & AIDS Clinic and the Catholic Relief Services food security project in the vicinity of Bobete. His programme in South Africa will include a visit to the Province of Limpopo where he will hold discussions on Irish Aid funded programmes in water and sanitation, education, HIV and gender-based violence.
The Minister of State at the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science and Communications, Energy and natural Resources, Mr. Conor Lenihan T.D., will visit Hanoi where he will promote Irish businesses entering the market in Vietnam.
The Attorney General, Mr. Paul Gallagher SC, will visit the United Arab Emirates, a fast growing market for Irish business. The Attorney General will attend a lunch hosted by the Irish Business Community in Abu Dhabi and will meet with a newly formed Irish Business Group in Dubai.