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.