US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation declaring March 2025 "Irish-American Heritage Month".
The proclamation calls on all Americans to celebrate the contribution of Irish-Americans to the nation with "appropriate ceremonies, activities and programmes".
Proclaiming March as Irish-American Heritage Month is a regular practice of US presidents.
In a nod to next week's visit by Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the White House, the proclamation says: "As my Administration works to correct trade imbalances with the European Union, our historic relationship with Ireland presents an opportunity to advance fairer trade policies and stronger investment opportunities that benefit both nations.
"Irish-Americans have played a crucial role in our great American story - courageously overcoming adversity and hardship to embolden our culture, enliven our spirit, and fortify our way of life.
"This Irish-American Heritage Month, we commemorate the special bond of friendship between the United States and Ireland - and we honour the extraordinary contributions of Irish-American citizens past and present," it added.
"We salute the undying resilience and resolve of the Irish-American community, pay tribute to their tremendous achievements, and pledge to forge a future that strengthens our shared values, deepens our traditions, and restores America as one glorious Nation under God," it said.
The president has previously spoken negatively about Ireland's very large trade surplus with the US in goods.
It comes as the Taoiseach has said he will tell Mr Trump that tariffs could cause damage to a "small open economy" like Ireland when the two meet in Washington next week.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Mr Martin said that he "will give our perspective" on the issue at the White House on Wednesday 12 March.
The Taoiseach said there is "a two-way" nature to the economic relationship between Ireland and the United States and that he will listen to Mr Trump's perspective on that.
There have been calls from the Opposition for the Taoiseach not to attend the annual St Patrick's Day event.
Separately, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has contradicted a US account of a call between himself and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week.
Speaking in Liverpool yesterday, Mr Harris said the trade imbalance between Ireland and the US was not discussed in his talks with Mr Rubio - despite a readout from the US State Department saying it had.
The readout, issued by Mr Rubio's spokesperson Tammy Bruce, said: "Both leaders expressed eagerness to work together to address our shared interests.
"They discussed the US priority to address the US-Ireland trade imbalance and reaffirmed the importance of our partnership in addressing issues like Gaza, the conflict in Ukraine, and space cooperation.
"They also discussed energy security and cooperation with US companies operating in Ireland, two areas of increasing interconnectedness between our two nations."
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty described Mr Harris' contradiction of what was said as "naive."
"What we don't need is a 'he said-she said,’" the party's Finance Spokesperson said.
"Whether he is right or wrong in relation to this here, we are walking a diplomatic tightrope," he said.
He added that the issue is not about the readouts from the conversation, but that what has been said in the aftermath has "created tension."
"I think what I think there was a bit of naivety in terms of Simon Harris in relation to how he phrased this, because what he has done is he's basically denied that specifically, that trade imbalance was discussed, but what we do know is trade was discussed, jobs were discussed, investment was discussed.
"I think what we've got here is we've got a dispute over words and calling the validity of words that the American administration has put out there, on the basis of dancing on the head of the pin in relation to trade imbalance."
Speaking on the same programme, Fianna Fáil TD Seamus McGrath said he thinks it is not a major issue and said he has no doubt that the Taoiseach will represent Ireland well in Washington next week.
"I don't think this will be a significant issue as part of that trip. We all know the significant relations between Ireland and the US. It's vital that we go there, it's vital that we maintain the tradition of visiting the White House on St Patrick's Day."
