Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 11 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 6

Written Answers. - Diplomatic Representation.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

122 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the countries which have Ambassadors in Residence here but in which we do not have the same representation; the length of time this situation exists; if his Department is under diplomatic pressure to open more embassies; in view of the growing and developing importance of central and eastern Europe, the plans, if any, he has to open an embassy in Hungary; and if so, when. [938/94]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The following States, to which Ireland accredits Ambassadors on a non-resident basis, maintain resident embassies in Dublin, headed either by an Ambassador or a Chargé d'Affaires ad interim:

State	Date Embassy established
Brazil	November 1991
Bulgaria	October 1994
Hungary	February 1991
Israel	July 1994
Mexico	September 1992
Morocco	September 1992
Norway	February 1983
Romania	May 1994
Turkey	December 1972

The decision to exchange Ambassadors on a resident or non-resident basis is a matter for agreement between the two States concerned. It is not unusual for a State to accredit an Ambassador on a non-resident basis to another State while accepting the establishment of a resident Embassy by that State. All of the countries listed above have indicated that they would welcome the establishment of a resident Irish Embassy in their capitals but they accept that we are not in a position to do so at the present time because of the limited resources of our Diplomatic Service.

Ireland has had diplomatic relations with Hungary since 1976. Ireland's Ambassador to Austria is concurrently accredited as non-resident Ambassador to Hungary. The possibility of extending our network of resident missions is kept under continuous review in the light of our national and international interests and the resources available to us. However, it would not be appropriate to speak publicly in advance about proposals, if any, which may be under consideration at any particular time since decisions in these matters have to be agreed in each case with the foreign Government concerned and could be announced only after consultation with it.