St. Patrick’s Day 2019
Press release
16 April 2019St. Patrick’s Day 2019
St. Patrick’s Day is a unique opportunity to engage with the global Irish community and to promote Ireland’s economic and political interests overseas, with levels of publicity and media attention unmatched by the national day of any other country.
This year’s programme had the largest number of countries ever visited for St. Patrick’s Day. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste, along with 13 Ministers, 19 Ministers of State, the Attorney General, Ceann Comhairle and Cathaoirleach visited 56 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific region.
St. Patrick’s Day 2019 was a valuable opportunity to underline Ireland’s place in Europe against the background of Brexit, with all 27 EU capitals receiving a visit.
The programme also allowed us to promote trade, investment and tourism with Ireland, to increase visibility in new markets, and to promote our values and our influence in global institutions, notably in support of our campaign to become a member of the United Nations Security Council. It also allowed us to deepen our connections with Irish people and friends of Ireland all over the world.
Team Ireland overseas delivered a total of 1,796 events in support of Ireland’s interests over the 2019 St. Patrick’s Day period.
The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Ministers participated in 172 high-level political meetings, while trade, tourism and investment in Ireland was promoted at 215 business events.
Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening campaign enjoyed its most successful year yet, with a total of 470 sites in 55 countries going green over the St. Patrick’s Day period. Highlights included the greening for the first time of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai – the world’s tallest building – and of Victoria Falls in Zambia.
Discussing this year’s St. Patrick’s Day programme, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D., said:
“This was the first St. Patrick’s Day programme undertaken since the launch of the Global Ireland programme last year, and marked an unprecedented investment by Government in promoting Ireland’s interests internationally against the background of Brexit.
For the first time ever, Ministers visited all 27 EU capitals. This was a uniquely comprehensive engagement by an EU Member State with each and every one of its partners.
This year’s programme was supported by an expanding Team Ireland presence around the world, already substantially increased in the first phase of the Global Ireland initiative with new Embassies opened in Amman, Bogota, Santiago and Wellington and by new Consulates in Vancouver and Mumbai.
I would like to thank all the members of Team Ireland, at home and abroad, whose efforts resulted in such a successful St. Patrick’s Day programme.”
ENDS
