Vol. 462 No. 7
15 Mr. Leonard asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself that the staffing of our Embassies abroad is on a sufficiently practical level to enable them to help in the promotion of Irish goods and services. [5177/96]
One of the primary objectives of our diplomatic missions is to advance Irish economic and business interests abroad. All missions are expected to reflect in their activities the priority which the Government attaches to the promotion of the State's international economic interests. As a development of this approach, the Government decided that representatives of An Bord Tráchtála should be attached to the diplomatic staff of the three Embassies recently opened in Prague, Budapest and Kuala Lumpur. Representatives of An Bord Tráachtála were already members of the diplomatic staff of our Embassies in Moscow. Riyadh and Beijing.
In addition to the direct involvement of Embassies in promoting the export of Irish goods and services, there is close co-operation with other Departments and State agencies involved in this area. For example, where there are a number of State agencies located in the same city as an Embassy, the Ambassador chairs a foreign earnings co-ordination committee. In recent years, the concept of Ireland House has been developed whereby all the State agencies in a particular capital locate their premises in a single building with the Embassy or consulate and, in this way, give greater focus and impact to their combined activities. My Department will continue to seek further ways of ensuring that the staff of our diplomatic missions abroad are used to best effect in the task of promoting our overall economic interests.
