Taoiseach travels to New York

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will depart for New York later today on a visit intended to promote inward investment.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will depart for New York later today on a visit intended to promote inward investment.

The Taoiseach will depart for the US by Government aircraft this afternoon after taking Leaders' Questions in the Dáil.

Tomorrow evening, Mr Kenny will be guest of honour at the annual dinner of the American Ireland Fund in the Lincoln Center, which will have an attendance of 1,200 and is expected to raise in excess of $2.5 million (€1.68 million) for various Irish charities.

At the dinner, former boxing champion Muhammad Ali, who has ancestral connections with Ennis, Co Clare, and executive vice-president of Coca-Cola, Irial Finan, will receive awards for their charity work.

The Taoiseach's programme begins with interviews this evening with Reuters and Fox Business Network followed by an Irish-American community reception.

Tomorrow he is due to appear on the Out of Ireland television programme, presented by Patricia O'Reilly, which is broadcast widely throughout the US.

This is followed by a visit to the New York Stock Exchange and a lunch at the Council on Foreign Relations where former US envoy to the Northern Ireland peace process, Dr Richard Haass, will chair a discussion.

Mr Kenny will also have private meetings with potential investors.

Deaglán  De Bréadún

Deaglán De Bréadún

Deaglán De Bréadún, a former Irish Times journalist, is a contributor to the newspaper