Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Dec 1991

Vol. 414 No. 5

Written Answers. - Training of Diplomats.

Austin Deasy

Question:

39 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the formal arrangements which are made to train Irish diplomats in techniques to furthere the business and commercial interests of this country when they are posted abroad.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Collins)

My Department attach a very high priority to the promotion of Irish economic interests abroad. In the training and development of members of the Irish diplomatic service and in their direction of the work of our diplomatic and consular missions abroad, the Department lay great emphasis on all aspects of the promotion of foreign earnings, including help to Irish exporters, tourism and the attraction of foreign investment to Ireland. Close liaison is maintained in this work with the home economic departments and with the offices of the main promotional semi-State agencies at home and abroad.

All officers are aware of the importance of this work and missions abroad are expected to give it particular attention.

Before going abroad, a number of officers at junior level will have had the opportunity to serve in the foreign earnings division of the Department. In the course of its work that division maintains close contract on a range of issues relating to Irish economic interests abroad with the Department of Industry and Commerce and other home Departments as well as with semi-State agencies such as the IDA, the Irish Trade Board and Board Fáilte.

At a more senior level, officers of the Department, and in particular the heads of our diplomatic and consular missions, make it a practice to call on the relevant economic Departments at home, on the head offices of semi-State agencies and, where relevant, on some of the business firms in Ireland with interests in the country concerned before taking up a new posting abroad and again when home on leave in Ireland. In this way they have the opportunity to brief themselves fully on the opportunities for Irish exports and other broader Irish economic interests in the countries in which they serve.

Abroad, the particular nature of the economic work of an embassy or consulate will depend on a number of factors, including the economic system of the country concerned, the opportunities it offers for Irish economic interests and whether or not the main Irish promotional semi-State agencies maintain offices in the countries concerned. Wherever there are such offices our missions work in close co-operation with the local representatives, and in certain cases, where local circumstances make this desirable or necessary, a representative of the Irish Trade Board or of the IDA may be based in the Embassy premises or nominated as a member of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy. In certain of the more important embassies, officers of home economic Departments such as Agriculture and Food and Industry and Commerce work on secondment as part of the staff of the Embassy.

In countries where Irish promotional agencies are not represented, the officers of our embassies and consulates have a more direct role in promotional work and in facilitating Irish exporters and other business interests, in liaison as necessary with the relevant Irish semi-State agencies.

I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to give a high priority in the work of my Department to the promotion of foreign earnings and will ensure that, so far as possible, the training and development of officers of the Department will be such as to ensure that they will be capable of advancing our economic interests abroad to best effect.