Taoiseach Travels to United States for St Patrick’s Day – Meeting with President Obama

The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny TD, has arrived in Washington DC for the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations at the White House.

Earlier, the Taoiseach chaired a Government meeting, before appearing in the Dáil to answer Leaders Questions and to lead a debate on the new Programme for Government.

The Taoiseach has a full programme of engagements in Washington, DC over the next two days, including:

• a bilateral meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office
• the White House St Patrick’s Day Reception and the traditional presentation of the Bowl of Shamrock
• a St Patrick’s Day breakfast with Vice President Biden
• the traditional Speakers Lunch, hosted by the new Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner

The Taoiseach will today, Wednesday, meet with members of the Global Irish Network and his Economic Advisory Board. He will also address a Business Leaders Lunch in Washington, and later he will give an address to the American Ireland Fund National Gala.

He is also expected to meet with other leading US political leaders, including the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, and the leaders of the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Taoiseach will also offer his support to Irish artists who are performing in Washington, DC as part of the Imagine Ireland year of culture in the US for 2011