Australian Prime Minister John Howard is to visit Ireland later this month for meetings with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and other ministers.
Mr Howard will also address the Dáil on May 23 rd.
A Government spokesman said Mr Howard's visit will be an opportunity to strengthen "the historically close and increasingly dynamic relationship between Australia and Ireland and in particular, our economic relations".
In addition to talks with politicians, Mr Howard will meet Irish business leaders with links to Australia.
The visit will be Mr Howard's first trip to Ireland, and the first by an Australian prime minister since 1993.
