Westmeath Ministers to visit USA, Portugal and Czech Republic on St Patrick's Day trips

Westmeath's Minister Peter Burke and Ministers of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran and Robert Troy will all be heading overseas for St Patrick's Day events next month.

Details were announced today (Wednesday) of the destinations that 38 State representatives will visit for St Patrick's Day celebrations.

Among them is Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, who last month became Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW). The Athlone man will be heading to Portugal.

The Czech Republic, or Czechia, will be visited by Robert Troy, the Minister of State with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance.

Enterprise Minister Peter Burke visited the US State of Georgia for St Patrick's Day events last year.

The Mullingar native is returning to the US for the annual feast day celebrations next month, and on this occasion he'll be based in the New England region, visiting the city of Boston and the State of New Hampshire.

The Government said St Patrick’s Day "offers a unique opportunity to promote Ireland’s interests around the world and to promote Ireland as a place to invest, visit, work or study."

It added that Government Ministers will "promote Irish investment overseas, international research and education collaborations, mutually beneficial partnerships between Irish and overseas companies and the successes and growth of overseas companies that have chosen Ireland as their base in Europe."