Austin Deasy
Question:11 Mr. Deasy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has for the expansion of the Diplomatic Corps. [11748/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Diplomatic Corps.
The Deputy will be aware that the Government decided earlier this year to establish new embassies in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Malaysia. These three new missions will be opening over the next few months.
Even after these new missions are established, there will still be areas of the world where Ireland remains under-represented, including for example Central and Latin America, the Middle East and south-east Asia. These are regions with significant growth prospects where there are excellent opportunities for promoting Irish interests, which would be enhanced by the presence of a more extensive diplomatic network.
It is intended, therefore, to keep our embassy network under continuous review and to propose the establishment of new missions where there would be a clear benefit to the State from doing so. We are looking in particular at our needs for diplomatic representation overseas in the context of our Presidency of the European Union next year when we will have the responsibility of representing the European Union in its dealings with third countries.
I welcome the announcement of the opening of offices in Malaysia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. I share the concern of the Minister about the absence of representation in south-east Asia, a major economic growth area, and Latin America. This side of the House will support the Department in every way possible in its battle with the Department of Finance to ensure this country is properly represented abroad. Embassies should be not only offices of diplomatic activity but of economic expansion, taking advantage of the economic opportunities that arise. Will the Minister agree the Ireland House concept of embassies and semi-State agencies operating in the one area is one that should be expanded? In that context will she approach the Department of Finance with a view to further expansion to allow us take advantage, particularly in south-east Asia, of the opportunities for inward investment and sales in that region?
I agree with the Deputy that the economic role of our embassies is extremely important. All our missions abroad are conscious of the importance of promoting our economic interests. There is close co-operation with the various State agencies involved in this work. That co-operation has been progressively developed since the re-establishment in 1993 at ministerial level of the foreign earnings committee which brings together the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Tourism and Trade and all the State agencies involved in the promotion of foreign earnings.
In recent years the Ireland House concept has been introduced in certain capitals abroad to give greater focus and impact to our promotional efforts by bringing together in a single location all the Irish agencies involved. My intention is that each new embassy will be established in an Ireland House and that the State agencies concerned will be integrated more fully into the embassies than has been the case previously. I hope this will lead to closer and more effective co-operation between the diplomatic and economic sides and that it will enhance the impact of the new embassies in the promotion of our economic interests abroad.
I welcome the Deputy's support for any request to the Department of Finance which the Department of Foreign Affairs may believe is necessary. There is a broad understanding of the important spin-off benefits, not only in the diplomatic area but in the economic area, of having an Irish presence particularly in rapidly developing markets such as a south-east Asia and Latin America.
Regarding the Ireland House concept adopted in New York and elsewhere, it is intended that concept will be adopted in respect of new representations. Will the Minister of State indicate what progress has been made in adopting it by existing representations where it has not been in force?
Given that the committee is bringing together a number of Government Departments, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, to examine the question of foreign earnings, a closer relationship has developed in recent years between our embassies and other State bodies which work in the area of trade promotion. Our embassies' activities are under continuous review. This concept will develop over time in respect of all our embassies. Irish business people and many foreigners who wish to do business with Ireland may be unaware of the existence of various Irish promotional bodies and their first port of call for assistance and advice might be their local Irish embassy. For that reason it is important that our embassies should develop their economic side as they could be extremely beneficial in trade terms.
Will the Minister of State agree that, while we would want to have as many permanent representations as possible abroad, there are financial constraints in terms of our population of 3.5 million? There are many successful Irish friends abroad, both first and second generation. Where it is not possible for economic reasons to open an embassy, will the Minister of State agree that an extensive consular service should be developed using the offices and goodwill that undoubtedly exists towards this country among private individuals? As such services operate successfully in some countries, will she agree that they should be expanded?
We have expanded the honorary consul core in a careful and selective manner in recent years. There are now 56 honorary consuls representing Ireland in 42 countries. When the Tánaiste discussed the Estimates with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs he said that the Department would carefully consider any such proposals put forward for different areas or countries. Generally, those appointed as honorary consuls are people of distinction in terms of their background in professions or trades and it would be desirable that they would have certain facilities such as an office, telephone, fax machine and so on to facilitate their work. We keep this matter under continuous review and we will continue to expand that service in a careful and measured way.