President Catherine Connolly is likely to make the first overseas trip of her presidency to Britain before the summer.
The trip will not be a full State visit but is likely to be structured around events with Irish communities, according to sources familiar with discussions about the plans.
Arrangements have not yet been finalised but it is understood that the visit is likely to take place before the summer break.
The President and senior officials have been in discussions about other potential foreign visits as she begins to roll out the plans for her presidency. Connolly reaches the milestone of 100 days in office next Thursday.
She moved into Áras an Uachtaráin after Christmas, having spent two months in the Steward’s Lodge at Farmleigh as minor renovations were required after Michael D Higgins moved out on the evening before her inauguration.
It is expected that the President will soon announce the members of her Council of State. Her spokesman said this week that she was “currently considering” potential appointments.
Asked about her activities during the first 100 days, the Áras pointed to “a particular focus” on the Irish language, which included visits to Gaeltacht areas and Irish language groups.
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The president is working on “Teanga na hÉireann – A Nation’s Living Voice”, an initiative which will run from June 2026 to June 2027, and will celebrate “the Irish language and coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the first Gaeltacht Commission in 1926″, officials said.
Asked how her promise to make Irish the working language of the Áras is progressing, a spokesman said the secretariat “is also continuing to build Irish language capacity among its staff”, through Irish classes and recruitment of Irish speakers.
The Áras said the President had also sought to focus attention on “the serious challenges of climate change and the homelessness crisis”.
“The President has further sought, across her engagements, to particularly highlight and support the important role played by women across society as well as to draw attention to the continuing appalling levels of violence against women,” the Áras said.
Plans for the future include “initiatives giving voice to those with caring responsibilities in the community and to young people”.
It is understood that there have also been discussions at a high level about a State visit by King Charles in the coming years, something about which the king is said to be enthusiastic. He has visited Ireland on a number of occasions while prince of Wales for both public events and private holidays.