Minister Foley begins St. Patrick’s Day visit to London

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley is today (Wednesday) beginning a five-day visit to London as part of the government’s series of St. Patrick’s Day visits.

Over the course of the visit, Minister Foley will meet with Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson and Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan.

The visit in the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day will highlight and celebrate the many close bonds between the peoples of Ireland and Britain across culture, tourism, language, music, enterprise and more.

Minister Foley will attend and speak at the annual CHAMP St. Patrick’s Day reception in Westminster on Wednesday 12 March. This is the annual gathering of the not-for-profit organization, named after one of Northern Ireland’s favourite culinary dishes, which promotes peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland, and throughout Ireland and Britain.

Minister Foley will visit the London Irish Centre on Thursday 13 March. Minister Foley will hear about the ongoing work the centre does in supporting the Irish community in London. She will also meet with staff of the Centre’s Survivors Integrated Service, who support survivors of institutional abuse in Ireland that now reside in London.

Minister Foley will visit the Irish Cultural Centre. She will be provided with an update of their ongoing cultural projects, in this their 30th year in existence. On Friday, she will attend a reception to celebrate the life of renowned Irish Novelist Edna O’Brien who passed away in London in July 2024.

The visit will culminate on Sunday 16 March, with the Minister joining the exciting festivities along the St. Patrick’s Day Parade route in London and addressing the Irish Festival at Trafalgar Square, where there will be family concerts, performances by youth groups, community choirs, dance troupes and more.