Charlie McConalogue confirms trip to Canada cancelled after Covid test

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has confirmed he had to cancel plans to travel to Canada for St Patrick’s Day after testing positive for Covid-19.

The Donegal TD tested positive before his planned trip to Canada where he was to promote Ireland as a great place to live, visit, work, study, and invest as part of the Global Ireland programme.

He was one of three Government ministers who had to abandon St Patrick’s Day visits abroad after testing positive for Covid-19. Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s visit to Washington was disrupted by a positive Covid-19 test.

Gallery: Buncrana enjoys first St Patrick's Day parade in three years

Mr McConalogue said he was clear in time to attend the St Patrick’s Day parade in Buncrana, the first in the town for three years.

“It’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow some good so although I had to cancel my plans to travel to Canada for St  Patrick’s Day as a result of getting covid, I was clear in time to attend the wonderful parade in Buncrana,” he said on social media.

 “Well done to all on organising a great St Patrick’s Day for the town and to all those who made St Patrick’s Day so special across our county.  It was great to see everyone getting to enjoy themselves again three years on from the last parade.  How important the simple things in life are.”