The Taoiseach today met with members of Team Ireland in the Olympic village in Paris.
Speaking as he arrived, Simon Harris said that the country was "extraordinarily proud" of all 133 Irish athletes.
He wished the competitors and their families well over the coming days.
"We're right behind you. You’ve already done our country extraordinarily proud"
— Kate Varley (@varleytweets) July 25, 2024
Taoiseach Simon Harris delivers a message to Team Ireland as he begins his tour of the Olympic Village in Paris.@rtenews pic.twitter.com/V54RwcWW5r
Mr Harris will take part in a series of engagements while he is in the City of Light, including two leaders' summits, before attending the games' opening ceremony.
As well as the athletes, an estimated 25,000 spectators from Ireland are expected to attend some of the plentitude of sporting events.
Speaking before his visit, Mr Harris had said that he would be taking the opportunity to "thank the families of our athletes and all those in support roles that have helped them reach the very top of their sport".
It is an absolute honour to be with Team Ireland in Paris today to wish them the very, very best of luck and every success in the Olympics. Go Team Ireland!
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) July 25, 2024
We are all so proud of you and cheering you on every step of the way! A credit to our country. pic.twitter.com/PCcJJGbZ72
It is 100 years since Paris last hosted the Olympic games and a century since Ireland first competed in the competition as an independent nation.
Having met the Irish athletes, Mr Harris is next attending a summit at the Carrousel du Louvre, hosted by French President Emanuel Macron and President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach.
Official engagements will continue throughout the course of the Taoiseach's visit.
Tomorrow, Mr Harris and his wife Caoimhe will attend another meeting of world leaders at the Elysee Palace, hosted by President Macron.
The opening ceremony to the Paris Olympics gets under way tomorrow evening and will take place along the River Seine, and will be watched by hundreds of millions of people right across the world.
France's Ambassador to Ireland said the opening ceremony will be a festival of joy and sport for everyone.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Vincent Guérend said that for the first time an Olympic opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium.
"It will be on the River Seine and you'll have 200 teams cruising down the Seine."
On finishing his term as Ambassador in Ireland, Mr Guérend said he has had "four very enriching and rewarding years here in Ireland.
"My main legacy I'll take away would be indeed that now France is Ireland’s closest neighbour in EU, something we didn't ask for, but something which has been a formidable way to promote even more the relationship."
He said that the Taoiseach and ministers have said that the relationship has never been so strong between the two countries.
"So, a lot has been happening for good and for the better of our people both ways."
