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Diplomatic Representation Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2013

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Questions (102)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

102. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts he has made to combine the use of embassies, Enterprise Ireland and Industrial Development Authority offices in order to reduce rent, staff costs and increase cross collaboration between the different parts; the locations where this has been rolled out already; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48972/13]

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Written answers

In 1987, the Government formulated a policy to bring together, where feasible, our diplomatic and consular missions abroad and the offices of state agencies in a single location, designated as Ireland House. The precise model for implementing such an arrangement would, of course, vary and have to reflect local conditions and other factors. In all cases, the arrangement is one designed to increase the impact of Ireland’s presence abroad, to improve coordination among all parties, and to maximise cost-efficiencies. There are a number of types of Ireland House currently operating overseas. The largest is in New York and comprises the Consulate General, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA in addition to other agencies including Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia, the American Ireland Fund and CIE Tours. Missions at Boston, Brussels, Budapest, Kuala Lumpur, Prague, Riyadh and Warsaw share premises with Enterprise Ireland. Our missions at Moscow, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo accommodate both Enterprise Ireland and IDA offices. The Consulate General in Shanghai shares premises with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, and also Bord Bia and an agent for Tourism Ireland; the Ireland House in Madrid includes offices from Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, together with the Embassy. Other configurations prevail elsewhere including at Embassy Beijing which shares premises with the IDA; Embassy Stockholm which shares space with Bord Bia; Embassy New Delhi which operates from shared premises with Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland; and Ireland's Consulate General in Atlanta which operates from the same location as the IDA. In addition, there are a number of other locations where state agencies share facilities with each other in the form of an Ireland House, which does not include the Irish mission to that particular country. For example, in Paris, the IDA, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and BIM operate an Ireland House.

The Ireland House concept has been put in place where possible and the potential for expanding the current network of Ireland Houses is kept under review, for instance in situations where new missions or agencies are opening or moving to new locations.

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