Leo Varadkar
Question:101 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discouraged any country from establishing an embassy here; the countries concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12628/08]
View answerThursday, 3 April 2008
Questions (101)
Written answers
Article 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, incorporated in the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967, states that "The establishment of diplomatic relations between States, and of permanent diplomatic missions, takes place by mutual consent". Ireland currently has diplomatic relations with 115 countries of which 55 have resident missions in Dublin, with the remainder accredited on a non-resident basis, mostly from London.
The normal practice is for the Government to accede to requests to accredit an Ambassador on either a resident or non-resident basis where diplomatic relations exist. However, in the case of Burma, the Government has made it clear to the Burmese authorities that no steps will be taken to advance diplomatic relations, including the accreditation of their Ambassador in London on a non-residential basis, until a number of developments in that country have taken place, in particular the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.