Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 6

Written Answers. - Diplomatic Representation.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

168 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the appointment of the latest honorary consul in Pakistan; the name of the appointee; the date and terms of his or her appointment; and the duties and responsibilities of the post. [23646/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

Following the resignation in 1998 of the previous occupant of the post, the Irish Ambassador to Pakistan, who resides in Tehran, interviewed 12 people in Pakistan who had expressed interest in the position and/or who had been recommended for it. On the basis of reports from the Ambassador and taking account of the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs, my predecessor, Deputy Andrews, in September 1999 decided that Mr. Hasib Ahsan Mozzaffar was the most suitable of those considered. The Pakistani authorities in December 1999 conveyed their approval of Mr. Ahsan's appointment, the formal letter of commission was signed by my predecessor on 14 January 2000 and the exequatur formally recognising the appointment was issued by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2000.

As with all honorary consular appointments, the appointment of the Honorary Consul in Karachi is subject to the following terms: The appointment is an honorary one, unsalaried and non-pensionable and is limited in duration to three years from the date of issue of the exequatur by the Pakistani authorities. This initial period of three years may be renewed by mutual agreement; the appointment may be terminated for any reason by the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon the giving of three months notice of termination in writing to the appointee and no compensation will be payable on such termination. The appointee may resign the appointment by giving three months notice of resignation in writing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs; the appointment may also be suspended with immediate effect by the Minister for failure or inability on the part of the appointee to discharge effectively his/her functions as Honorary Consul, if he/she is charged with a criminal offence or for conduct which, in the opinion of the Minister, is unbecoming of an Honorary Consul. Such suspension is without prejudice to the right of the Minister to terminate the appointment for any reason by giving the appointee three months notice in writing of termination of his/her appointment; an honorarium of IR£500 per year and a sum equal to a half of the consular fees collected during each period of six months will be paid after receipt and checking of the account of the Consulate for that period; however, this is subject to a maximum payment of the equivalent of IR£100 for any one fee; the following are supplied by the Department of Foreign Affairs but the appointee is expected to provide other necessary office items, including a safe, an escutcheon, two flags, the "Consular Instructions", details of consular fees and stationery, Consulate rubber stamps, a selection of passport, visa, etc. application forms, accounts forms and directories and other reference and information material about Ireland; communication expenses incurred on Consulate business may be charged to the Department in the account of the Consulate. Accounts are to be furnished every six months, at the end of March and September; and the supervising mission is the Embassy of Ireland in Tehran through which communications with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin should normally go. A report on the work of the Consulate is to be submitted to the Department by the Honorary Consul in the prescribed form at the end of every calendar year.

The main duties and responsibilities of the Honorary Consul are to assist the Embassy in Tehran by looking after the consular protection of Irish citizens resident in or visiting Pakistan, by processing visa applications and transmitting them to the Department or the Embassy and by helping generally in the promotion of trade and other relations between Ireland and Pakistan and with official visits by Irish Government representatives.