Doing business on St Patrick's Day

Ireland's new prime minister Enda Kenny. Photo / AP

Ireland's new Government will jet across the globe for St Patrick's Day in the hope of winning goodwill and new investment for the debt-struck nation, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny announced yesterday.

Kenny, who rose to power on Thursday, said he would meet United States President Barack Obama in the White House on March 17 for a now-annual ceremony of Irish-American solidarity. He said he also planned to meet Capitol Hill leaders and potential business investors.

But Kenny - whose once-booming country is dependent on emergency funds from the European Union and International Monetary Fund - stressed this will be the leanest, quickest St Patrick's government tour staged in more than a decade. Kenny noted that the politician he ousted as Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, last year sent 22 government ministers to 24 countries for St Patrick's Day, some for more than a week, in an expensive junket out of tune with Ireland's rapidly unravelling finances. Kenny said this time, only nine of Ireland's 15 Cabinet ministers would travel overseas, and to fewer places he identified as "top priorities for Irish trade, business and jobs".

Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore, who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will travel to New York. Seven other ministers will meet political and business leaders in London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, New Delhi and Sydney.