The following are the details of my official travel and those of the Ministers of State in my Department, confirmed to date between now and the end of 2015.
I propose to attend the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland from 21-23 January 2015 where my main focus will be to promote Ireland as a location for investment and trade. As in previous years, I will attend an event organised by the IDA, for senior executives of major international companies, to promote Ireland as a location for international business, investment and expansion.
I hope to travel to the USA in March 2015 as part of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The programme is currently under consideration and has yet to be confirmed. As with all of my visits to the USA, the focus will be on promoting investment, bilateral trade and job creation in Ireland.
My EU engagements for the end of 2014 and the first half of 2015 include attendance at European Council meetings with Heads of State and Government and attendance at informal meetings of EU Heads of State and Government in Brussels. Dates of the Council engagements for the Luxembourg Presidency for the second half of 2015 are not yet known.
The meetings confirmed are
18/19 Dec (European Council Brussels)
12/13 February (European Council Brussels)
19/20 March (European Council Brussels)
25/26 June (European Council Brussels)
Mr. Dara Murphy T.D., Minister of State with special responsibility for EU and Data protection will also attend the European Council meetings as well as the meetings set out:
20 January (General Affairs Council Brussels)
10 February (General Affairs Council Brussels)
12/13 March (Justice and Home Affairs Council Brussels)
16 March (Foreign Affairs Council Brussels)
17 March (General Affairs Council Brussels)
21 April (General Affairs Council Luxembourg)
19 May (General Affairs Council Brussels)
11/12 June (Justice and Home Affairs Council Luxembourg)
23 June (General Affairs Council Luxembourg)
Minister Murphy will also undertake a programme of bilateral visits throughout 2015, details of which are being finalised.
The Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Jimmy Deenihan T.D., will travel to London and Birmingham on 15-16 January. The purpose of the trip is to engage with the Irish Communities in these cities, including members of the business community.
The Minister will also travel to Washington on 21-22 January where he will have a series of meetings on the issue of US Immigration Reform. While the Minister’s main role is to engage with Irish communities overseas, in those contacts and others, he will avail of every opportunity that arises to promote Ireland as a good place to do business and as a destination for foreign direct investment.
Mr. Simon Harris T.D., Minister of State with special responsibility for the OPW, Public Procurement and International Banking, proposes to attend the Asia Finance Forum in Hong Kong on 19-20 January 2015. He is travelling there to promote Ireland as a hub for international financial services, to undertake an intensive round of engagements with existing and prospective IDA clients, and to explore opening new markets for EI clients both in the area of financial services and more generally. He will also attend the Ecofin Budget Council in Brussels in November, 2015
Mr. Paul Kehoe T.D., Minister of State with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip and Defence, does not have any plans for official travel between now and the end of 2015.
