"Taoiseach's St Patrick's Day trip to US should go ahead" - Troy

Westmeath TD and Minister of State Robert Troy believes the Taoiseach's visit to Washington DC for St Patrick's Day should go ahead next month, and that the links between Ireland and the United States mean it should be considered an essential trip.

Minister Troy was interviewed about the issue on Midlands 103 last Friday.

Speaking to Will Faulkner, the Fianna Fáil representative outlined the importance of maintaining investment and trade links between the two countries.

He said Irish companies were exporting billions of euro worth of goods to the US on an annual basis, which this was helping to maintain businesses and jobs here.

"On the flip side, when you look at the investment of multinationals from America, investing in Ireland, in the region of 150,000 jobs in Ireland are dependent on American multinational companies," he said.

"We have such strong ties, and I think it's so important that those ties are not just maintained but built upon. Particularly in this year, the first year of President Biden's administration, it would be crucially important."

When asked why Micheál Martin's meetings with the Biden administration couldn't be held remotely, he said in-person gatherings were sometimes necessary.

"Some businesses will tell you that there are essential trips. There are trips that they do need to go on, to be physically present, to ensure that they get the best from that trip.

"When you see the level of economic relationship between us and the U.S., I personally believe a trip such as this is essential," he said.

He added that the Taoiseach had been "leading by example" and "could count on one hand" the number of times he'd travelled from Dublin back to his native Cork since he took office last June.