Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The issue of which embassies might be closed in these difficult economic times had been under consideration in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for some time. The Deputy's party leader, my immediate predecessor, acknowledged here recently that while he was Minister, the possible closure of the Embassy to the Holy See had been under consideration. The confusion may have arisen from newspaper reports which referred to a document which had been produced in the context of the comprehensive spending review which referred to the closure of two possible missions, and it was assumed that the two missions in that case did not include the Holy See. In fact, the Holy See was included in those two missions referred to in that document.

With regard to the issue of how the matter was considered by Government, as I stated, the question of what embassies might be closed and how savings might be made have been under consideration in the Department. I brought a memorandum to Government which recommended the closure of three resident missions: Timor-Leste, Tehran and the Holy See. The matter was considered by the Government and it made a decision to close the three missions I had recommended.

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