Taoiseach was in Washington for St. Patrick's Day: Focus was on Jobs. Trade, and Investment

The Taoiseach was in Washington, DC from Monday 16 - Wednesday 18 March for St. Patrick's Day.

Prior to Washington, the Taoiseach began his visit to the US in Atlanta and in Austin. Throughout, the US programme focused on jobs, trade, and investment. In Atlanta, the Taoiseach addressed senior business figures at the Irish Chamber of Commerce, attended a roundtable event organised by IDA, met with CEOs of companies with major links to Ireland, including CEO of Coca Cola and Oldcastle, was the Grand Marshal for the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade, and met with senior political figures, including the Governor of Georgia and Mayor of Atlanta.

In Austin, the Taoiseach officially opened Ireland's new consulate in Texas, was interviewed at South by South West Interactive, met with US investors, Irish Start-ups, addressed an Enterprise Ireland event, and met with the Governor of Texas.

During his programme in Washington on Monday, the Taoiseach met senior business contacts at the US Chamber of Commerce, attended a business leaders' lunch and celebrated Irish research excellence and industry-academic links at an events with Science Foundation Ireland.

He launched the "Celebrating a Century of Irish Arts and Culture" festival, to take place at the Kennedy Centre in 2016, which will form the centerpiece of the 1916 commemorations in the US.

On Tuesday morning, the Taoiseach was invited by Vice President Joe Biden for a formal breakfast in his Residence.

Later that morning, the Taoiseach met President Obama with Irish shamrocks to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Speaker John Boehner, hosted a lunch at the at the US Capitol Building which was attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden.

St. Patrick's Day concluded with a reception hosted by Ambassador Anderson.

The Taoiseach used each of these opportunities to celebrate the strength of Irish-US relations, to highlight Ireland's ongoing economic recovery, and to continue to advocate for immigration reform to assist the many thousand of undocumented Irish in the US.