Taoiseach Micheál Martin has taken an Aer Lingus flight to Washington to meet US President Joe Biden.
Mr Martin was spotted in the airport and travelled on a 12.30pm flight out of Dublin Airport. It is understood the Fianna Fail leader travelled in business class.
It’s understood Mary Martin, the Taoiseach’s wife, is also travelling to Washington.
Speaking ahead of his flight to Washington, Mr Martin said there were three key areas he would discuss with President Biden.
He said: "We will discuss the Ukrainian crisis, that will be a key one and also the importance of President Biden’s agenda from the outset doing everything we can to support democracies and human rights, which he has called for at the commencement of his Presidency when he said the world is polarising between democracies and authoritarian regime.
"We now have the brutal manifestation of that in terms of the war in Ukraine and so I’ll be interested in having that discussion with him.
"And in addition to that then, it’s an opportunity to reset the economic relationship and how that’s maturing and evolving in respect of the number of Irish companies who are investing in the US, creating jobs in the US and of course the American multi-national companies who make an enormous contribution to the Irish economy.
"And then the cultural and artistic dimension, we would like to push that forward.
"We’re on the cusp of the opening of the New York arts centre for example, which will be a beacon in New York for Irish art and Irish-American artists.
"That’s something the Irish Government have been a part of for a long time and I think those are the areas we want to progress.
"And also, we'll look at ways to help the undocumented in the United States and ways we can establish more channels between Ireland and the US in terms of people travelling to and fro on the visa front.”
It will be Mr Martin’s first visit to the White House as Taoiseach because he could not travel to the US last year due to the pandemic.
The leaders are expected to discuss the economic ties between Ireland and the US, as well as the situation in Ukraine and ongoing support for the Good Friday Agreement.
But President Biden is also expected to say whether he and the first lady, Jill Biden, will visit Ireland during his Presidential term.
On Tuesday, there will be a cultural programme which will include lunch for Irish-American Congressman Richie Neal, a ceremony in honour of former SDLP leader and civil rights campaigner John Hume, a Tourism Ireland reception and special performance of Riverdance.
On Wednesday, Mr Martin will attend a series of economic engagements, including a Women in Business Executive roundtable, a US Chamber of Commerce and Science Foundation Ireland event, and the Ireland Funds 30th National Gala.
On Thursday, Mr Martin will spend the majority of the day at the White House and Capitol Hill.
He’ll attend a breakfast hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris at the Naval Observatory in Washington on St Patrick’s Day.
He is also scheduled to attend the traditional St Patrick’s Day lunch with Friends of Ireland caucus of political son Capitol Hill which will be hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.
Afterwards, Mr Martin will join President Biden for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office where both leaders will take questions from international media.
Mr Martin will also present President Biden with the traditional Shamrock Bowl, extending St Patrick's Day greetings from the people of Ireland to the people of the United States.
In a statement on Sunday, the White House said: “The leaders will reaffirm the close and historic partnership between the United States and Ireland and the extraordinary bonds between our people.
“They will discuss their countries’ contributions to the international effort to support the people of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russia for its unprovoked and unjustified war.
“They will also talk about a range of global issues and shared priorities, including combatting the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, strengthening global health security, tackling the climate crisis, and working together on the United Nations Security Council.”
