Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was forced to abandon his plans to depart for the US yesterday in order to attend an emergency Cabinet meeting.
Some of his senior team had travelled to Dublin Airport to begin checking in but returned to Government Buildings.
It indicated Mr Varadkar and his team being caught off guard by the pace of events regarding Brexit, despite hosting the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in Dublin at the weekend.
Mr Varadkar will fly to the US today ahead of the start of his official programme.
Tomorrow, the Taoiseach will hold a series of meetings to promote trade and investment between the US and Ireland. He will meet representatives of Irish companies successfullyexpanding their operations in the US and will attend the Ireland Funds gala dinner.
On Thursday, he will have breakfast hosted by US vice-president Mike Pence, and will visit the White House for a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump.
He will also attend the annual speaker’s lunch on Capitol Hill, and meet with senior members of Congress.
That evening, the Taoiseach will join Mr Trump and his wife Melania for the traditional shamrock ceremony at the White House, in advance of attending the ambassador’s St Patrick’s Day reception.
On Friday, Mr Varadkar will travel to Chicago where he will meet with a number of emigrant support groups that receive Irish Government funding and will attend a St Patrick’s Day dinner hosted by the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago.
On Saturday, the Taoiseach will march in the Chicago St Patrick’s Day Parade before returning home.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney has been forced to truncate his St Patrick’s programme in order to try to pass Brexit contingency legislation through the Seanad. He will not travel to Brussels until Friday.
Communications Minister Richard Bruton is heading to Canada, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan is off to New York, while Health Minister Simon Harris will be heading to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is travelling to London, while Agriculture Minister Michael Creed will visit Madrid and Lisbon.