Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 18 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 11

Written Answers. - Diplomatic Relations with South Africa.

John Connor

Ceist:

40 Mr. Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the establishment of diplomatic relations with South Africa; if an Ambassador will be sent to reside in Pretoria or Capetown; and, if so, if the Ambassador will be accredited to other countries in southern Africa where we do not yet have a diplomatic presence.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

56 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has for opening an Irish Embassy in South Africa; and the plans, if any, there are to open a South African Embassy here.

Seán Barrett

Ceist:

57 Mr. Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when he will open an Irish Embassy in South Africa.

Peter Barry

Ceist:

58 Mr. Barry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when he will open an Irish Embassy in South Africa.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 56, 57 and 58 together.

Diplomatic relations between Ireland and South Africa were established in October 1993. Mr. Eamon Ó Tuathail has been appointed as the first Irish Ambassador to South Africa and will take up duty there very shortly. While the Ambassador will reside and be based principally in Pretoria, the administrative capital, it may also prove necessary for the mission to maintain a presence in Cape Town, the legislative capital, where the Parliament sits for some six months of the year.

The opening of our Embassy marks the beginning of a new era in Irish-South African relations. We greatly welcome the recent changes leading to the emergence of a non-racial, democratic South Africa; our decision to open diplomatic relations is a response to these changes. It is important that Ireland should make a contribution to the political and economic development of the new South Africa; we are also conscious that it represents a new market with considerable potential for the export of Irish goods and services and we wish to see that potential developed.

No decisions have as yet been taken with regard to possible secondary accreditations which might be undertaken by our Ambassador to South Africa. Any such accreditation would be a matter for discussion and agreement with the Governments of the countries concerned. The separate issue of South African diplomatic representation in Ireland, and whether this will be on a resident or non-resident basis, will also be a matter for discussion and agreement between the two Governments.