Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 February 2012
92 Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the recent media reports about him confirming that a review of the closure of the embassy in the Vatican would take place are true; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9355/12]
View answer121 Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he intends to review the decision to close the Irish embassy in the Vatican; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7784/12]
View answer125 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the disclosure that the closing down of the embassy to the Holy See saved just €600,000 out of a total bill of €76 million for overseas embassies, if he will now reverse his decision and reopen our ties with Rome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9839/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 121 and 125 together.
As was outlined in my statement of 3 November last year, the decision of the Government to close our embassy to the Holy See and to appoint a non-resident Ambassador was driven by economic factors deriving from our need to cut public expenditure and focus the modest resources of our diplomatic service on economic recovery. The total cost saving in a full year is estimated at €845,000.
However, as the economic situation improves and in the context of the regular review of our diplomatic network, it may be possible to revisit the matter at some time in the future. If the Vatican is prepared to relax its current requirements so as to allow the state-owned Villa Spada to serve as a location for both our Embassy to Italy and our Embassy to the Holy See that is something that can be taken into account in any future considerations.
