Darragh O'Brien
Question:533. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the countries in which Ireland is lacking an embassy, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38922/17]
View answerMonday, 11 September 2017
Questions (533, 534, 536, 537, 538)
Darragh O'Brien
Question:534. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the countries in which Irish embassies and consulates exist; the number of staff in each embassy and consulate, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38923/17]
View answerDarragh O'Brien
Question:536. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a review of our diplomatic missions has begun further to the Taoiseach's comments on doubling Ireland's global footprint; if so, the date of commencement of the review; the estimated completion date of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38925/17]
View answerDarragh O'Brien
Question:537. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the specific actions that will be taken by his Department further to the Taoiseach's comments on doubling Ireland's global footprint; the targets set; the timeframe for reaching same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38926/17]
View answerDarragh O'Brien
Question:538. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the meetings he has had with relevant stakeholders in relation to doubling Ireland's global footprint further to the Taoiseach's comments; the dates of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38927/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 533, 534 and 536 to 538, inclusive, together.
Ireland’s diplomatic network includes 61 Embassies, seven multilateral missions, 11 Consulates General and one Representative office. Many of our Ambassadors are also accredited to additional countries on a concurrent basis, which enables us to maintain diplomatic relations with a total of 178 countries. The locations of Irish Embassies, Permanent Missions, Consulates General and other offices are set out in the table below.
The website of the Department (www.dfa.ie) provides a list of every country in the world and the status of Ireland’s diplomatic relationship with them, including those countries where Ireland does not currently have an embassy.
In the available time it was not possible to provide the number of staff in each embassy and consulate in tabular form. However, 310 staff of the Department are currently assigned to Ireland’s missions overseas and 352 are locally recruited in missions overseas.
The scale and configuration of the State’s diplomatic network in promoting Ireland’s interests and values in a fast-changing world is under continual review by my Department and by the Government. The ambition set by the Taoiseach reflects the scale and complexity of challenges that we face as a country in the years ahead including from Brexit and from growing protectionism internationally. I fully share his view that a strengthened international presence is vital in responding to these challenges and also in seizing new opportunities. These includes the further diversification of markets for trade and investment and building alliances to underpin the rules-based system that has served small globalised countries like Ireland so well. We must also re-double our efforts to promote justice, equality and peaceful international cooperation – values dear to our heart as a nation and which are more relevant than ever.
As we develop our global footprint we also have to ensure that the vital services infrastructure and policy support at headquarters are up to the task. With our existing network of 80 missions, many of which are staffed by officials from across the civil and public service in addition to our own staff, and co-located with agencies such as IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and others, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is uniquely placed to provide effective leadership for this ambitious initiative.
Location of Irish Embassies, Permanent Missions, Consulates General and other offices
|
Embassies - (A-L) |
Embassies - (M-Z) |
Multilateral Missions |
|
Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Bulgaria Brazil Canada China Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Egypt Ethiopia Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Holy See Hungary India Indonesia Israel Italy Japan Kenya Korea, Republic of Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malawi |
Malaysia Malta Mexico Mozambique Netherlands Nigeria Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Saudi Arabia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Tanzania Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Uganda United Kingdom U. S. A. Vietnam Zambia |
Council of Europe – Strasbourg European Union – Brussels OSCE – Vienna United Nations – New York United Nations – Geneva OECD/UNESCO – Paris Brussels Liaison Office (Partnership for Peace) |
|
Consulates-General |
||
|
Sydney, Australia Sao Paulo, Brazil Hong Kong, China Shanghai, China Edinburgh, United Kingdom Atlanta, USA Austin, USA Boston, USA Chicago, USA San Francisco, USA New York, USA |
||
|
Other Offices |
||
|
Ramallah – Representative Office to the Palestinian Authority. |
Breakdown of missions by region
|
Region |
Number |
|
Africa |
10 |
|
Americas |
12 |
|
Asia Pacific |
13 |
|
Europe |
33 |
|
Middle East |
5 |
|
Multi-lateral |
7 |
|
Total |
80 |