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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Jul 1990

Vol. 401 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Promotional Agencies.

Dick Spring

Ceist:

3 Mr. Spring asked the Taoiseach if the Government have any plans to amalgamate Irish promotional agencies and Department of Foreign Affairs representations abroad so as to provide a more co-ordinated and efficient service.

The Government have no plans to amalgamate the Irish promotional agencies and Department of Foreign Affairs representations abroad.

The Government are, however, pursuing a policy of accommodating State agencies abroad in a single building, an Ireland House, where feasible, including Department of Foreign Affairs representations. This concept is based on the ability of the agencies to provide a more co-ordinated, more efficient service and increase the impact of their presence when housed together in one location.

An Ireland House, bringing together our State agencies, was opened in London in 1966. A similar Ireland House was opened in Paris last year. Efforts are being made to establish an Ireland House in New York that would include our Consulate General. CTT and IDA are located in the same building as the Irish Embassy recently opened in Seoul, Korea. CTT also occupy office accommodation in the Irish Embassies in Moscow, Beijing and Riyadh.

I can express some disappointment in relation to the first part of the reply that there are no plans to carry out amalgamation as I suggested. Will the Taoiseach accept that there is a danger of duplication in terms of personnel and resources, where we as a small country are trying to maximise our representation? We have in the US, in New York, for example, numerous agencies effectively attempting to do the same business. Will the Taoiseach also accept that many countries have their representation headed up by their foreign affairs personnel who co-ordinate their sales and promotion agencies, and that it would it be in our best interest to attempt to have this done through the same agency?

It is a concept very dear to my heart. It is something that I have been pressing for over a period of years. New York is a good example. Sometimes I get the impression that there is a certain institutional resistance in different places to this concept, but I fully agree with the Deputy that it is very desirable that we should in all major centres promote a location in which all our agencies would be combined, which would give a very real Irish presence. In addition, anybody wishing to do business with Ireland could do it all in one place. The idea has everything to recommend it but unfortunately it has proved a little difficult to achieve so far. I assure the Deputy that it is something on which I am very keen and I will continue to press for it.

Will the Taoiseach consider, while he is attempting to bring about this amalgamation, if savings are made as they will be if amalgamation takes place, the possibility of expanding our representation in other Eastern European countries. It would be very important in relation to trade promotion to have representation in more East European countries than at present, notwithstanding the fact that we are opening a representation in Warsaw in the near future.

I agree. We have made a first move to expand our representation throughout Eastern Europe and to try to create at least a semblance of structure there. It will clearly become a region of major significance and importance politically, economically and other ways. It is necessary therefore that we should try to extend our presence there as much as possible. We will continue to do that and we will to some extent have to rely on State agencies to exhibit a presence there. As the Deputy knows for instance, Aer Rianta are very progressive in that regard and we hope to encourage others to be the same.

We will now move on to questions nominated for priority for which Standing Orders lay down 15 minutes.

There are five questions.

There are four. The Minister ran away from one of them again.

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