Vol. 428 No. 1
235 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the countries recently visited by him in connection with St. Patrick's Day celebrations; the countries visited by the Minister of State in his Department; the composition of the official party; and the total cost to the Exchequer in each case.
During the past week I undertook an intensive four day industrial promotion tour to the West Coast of the United States. The tour involved individual meetings with sixteen separate companies as well as an address to over seventy prominent businessmen. While this visit coincided with St. Patrick's Day, because of the intensive nature of my schedule, I did not attend any St. Patrick's Day functions in the U.S.
The Minister of State with responsibility for Commerce and Technology, Deputy Séamus Brennan, travelled to St. Louis to fulfil an invitation to the Taoiseach from the St. Patrick's Day Committee of St. Louis to attend functions and to be honorary guest at their St. Patrick's Day parade. In addition to this, the Minister of State undertook industrial promotion work while in St. Louis. The Minister was accompanied by his wife (the invitation extended to the Minister and his wife) and his Private Secretary. While part of the costs involved were met by the St. Patrick's Day Committee, it is estimated that the cost to the Exchequer will be in the region of £6,000.
