Jet-setting Kildare Ministers to visit Australia and US as part of St Patrick's programme

Kildare Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, has begun an official visit to Australia, where he will strengthen Ireland’s education, research and innovation links, deepen bilateral engagement, and connect with the Irish community as part of the Government’s St Patrick’s Day programme. 

This year’s visit carries special importance, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Australia and taking place at a pivotal moment in Australia–EU relations. 

Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Lawless said: "I am honoured to represent Ireland on this visit to Australia, and I’m really looking forward to connecting with the Irish community here. The large number of Irish people who choose to go to Australia, whether to experience what Australia has to offer before returning home or to build a new life here, is testament to the strong historical and cultural ties shared between our countries.” 

“In a rapidly changing world, it is important to reach out to like minded countries, to remind ourselves of the shared values we hold true and how these values can be a basis for building cooperation across all aspects of our bilateral relationship.” 

During his time in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, Minister Lawless will undertake a series of key engagements, including:  

• Officially opening the new Consulate General of Ireland in Melbourne, marking a major expansion of Ireland’s presence in Australia.

• Engaging with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland client companies operating in the Australian market.

• Visiting the Stripe offices in Sydney, recognising one of the most globally successful Irish founded technology companies.

• Meeting Ministerial counterparts and political leaders, including: 

  • Steve Whan MP, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education

  • Anoulack Chanthivong MP, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology

• Participating in major St Patrick’s Day events celebrating the Irish contribution to Australian society, including: 

• The historic Lansdowne Club St Patrick’s Day Lunch in Sydney

• The St Patrick’s Day Parade in Brisbane

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As part of the visit, Minister Lawless will also tour leading research institutions such as Swinburne University, including the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, and Notre Dame University, exploring new opportunities for collaboration in high performance computing, frontier science and education. 

Minister Lawless concluded: “I am particularly excited about visiting the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery at Swinburne University. This represents an opportunity to build connections with a leading high performance computing centre, in line with the Government’s ambitions in this area."

Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, is set to travel to San Francisco as part of the government's St. Patrick’s Day programme for 2026.

This year will also see the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, ministers and various government representatives travel to more than 50 countries to "promote Ireland, Irish values and Ireland’s interests" as part of the global programme.

The purpose of Minister Heydon's visit is to promote trade, strengthen international partnerships, and engage with the Irish diaspora.

As Minister for Agriculture, his mission is likely to involve promoting Irish food, agriculture, and fisheries.

Minister Heydon's trip is part of a wider government initiative where multiple ministers are visiting 11 US cities to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.