Minister for Justice Helen McEntee Represents Irish Gov’t in NYC for St. Patrick’s Day Festivities

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is representing the Irish Government in New York for St. Patrick’s Day this year, with a program of business, community and cultural engagements focused on the theme of “the future of our country in the world” and culminating in the annual parade up Fifth Avenue on March 16.

The week commenced with the annual Ireland INC. Leadership Breakfast at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wall Street, where Minister McEntee participated in a roundtable discussion on the future of US-Ireland trade and investment before the ringing of the opening bell.

While in New York, the Minister will lead Ireland’s delegation at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), delivering the national statement on achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in efforts to address poverty. She will meet with UN Deputy Secretary and Chair of the Sustainable Development Group, Ms. Amina Mohamed, and host a breakfast discussion on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

Throughout the week, Minister McEntee will participate in a series of business and investment promotion events and receptions. Notably, she will attend the launch of the Annual Report of the American-Irish Chamber of Commerce and attend a US-Ireland Council event. Later she will join New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal, Maggie Timoney, CEO of Heineken USA, for the closing bell of NASDAQ, which will be displayed on Time Square in Midtown Manhattan.

The Minister will address a reception at John Jay College in honor of the McCabe Fellowship, a program that invites outstanding Garda members in Ireland to attend the college in New York, which is aimed at enhancing the leadership skills and understanding of police practices. The Minister will say that the development of a digital police force is essential to tackling crime in the 21st Century, and that the introduction of Body-Worn Cameras and facial recognition technology are necessary tools to help protect victims and to improve the detection, investigation and prosecution of serious crime.

As part of the community dimension of her program, the Minister will attend the Official St. Patrick’s Day Reception for the Irish Community in New York, hosted at the Consulate General of Ireland. Later in the week, the Minister will join Westlife for a Lighting Ceremony at the Empire State Building, where the iconic New York landmark will be illuminated in green in honor of Ireland’s national day.

On the day of the historic 263rd St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Minister McEntee will first attend a Breakfast hosted by the Mayor of New York City at his official residence at Gracie Mansion. The Mayor’s Breakfast will be followed by a mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and a breakfast with the Irish Chamber of Commerce USA.

Minister McEntee’s trip will culminate in marching up Fifth Avenue alongside New York politicians and numerous Irish organizations. It is anticipated that over a quarter million people will spectate the annual celebration of Ireland and Irish culture in New York.