Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
397. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which staffing levels at each embassy throughout the EU and the rest of the world have been or will increase due to the potential demand and extra responsibilities arising in the aftermath of Brexit and to ensure that the diplomatic footprint of Ireland is maximised in order to compete at all levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19096/20]
View answerManaging the response to Brexit continues to be a priority for my Department. The approach has been to prioritise effective policy and operational measures across the Department to manage Brexit impacts, with additional staff assigned or recruited as required.
The staffing of key divisions at Headquarters with responsibility for Brexit matters, namely the European Union Division and the Ireland, UK and Americas (IUKA) Division, has been reinforced to cover the challenges arising from the UK exit process. Significant demand for passports and citizenship via foreign birth registration from applicants in Northern Ireland and in Britain continues and additional staffing is in place in Passport and Consular services to ensure an adequate customer-service response. Many business units of the Department at headquarters in Dublin continue to be involved in the response to the UK exit, including the Legal Division, the Trade Division and the Policy Planning Unit. Overseas, new posts were established in Embassies in London, Madrid, Berlin, Paris, Rome, The Hague and Warsaw as well as at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels.
The 'Global Ireland 2025' initiative will continue to support efforts to grow and diversify export markets, inward investment and tourism and underpin economic recovery. The strategy will ensure that Ireland is better positioned to build the alliances necessary to advance its interests and defend national positions in a post-Brexit EU, while also helping to secure our deep and positive relationship with the UK and its constituent parts into the future.
Since 2018, new Embassies were opened in Wellington, Bogotá, Amman, Monrovia and Santiago de Chile, and new Consulates General in Vancouver, Mumbai, Cardiff, Los Angeles and Frankfurt. This brings to ninety the number of diplomatic Missions in the network. The expansion will continue and planning for new Embassies in Kyiv, Manila and Rabat is underway. The Programme for Government provides for the opening of a Consulate in the north of England and for further strengthening of the diplomatic and state agency network across the European Union and it's neighbourhood.
The new diplomatic and consular missions enhance Ireland's international visibility; promote our prosperity by developing high level business, community and political contacts; protect and advance Ireland's interests and values in Europe and beyond.
These measures to strengthen staffing in the existing Mission network remain under review. The Department will reassign or allocate additional staff resources as necessary to further augment our level of support across Government and the diplomatic network to respond to the challenges of Brexit.
