Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree this is a timely and interesting discussion that is to be had. If we are doing as well as we are, I am unsure how matters can be improved and I will be fascinated to find out about what routes and restructuring members will be discussing. The Chairman has already referred to Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, which are three countries bordering each other with three embassies and three small populations. Given that I also wear the hat of a member of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, I am always slightly embarrassed when dealing with ambassadors or visiting dignitaries from countries who remind me that while the population of their countries is vast, with 108 million or 96 million people, they complain of a lack of representation. I do not refer specifically to Singapore or Malaysia - I do not have the detail of the top of my head - but there are countries whose embassies refer continually to the need for representation. I am aware the Department and the Government are under pressure from certain sectors to reopen embassies and for some peculiar reason, it is obvious they want to reopen the embassy in the Vatican more than the one in Tehran. If the Geneva peace talks and developments in Iran continue, I understand it has a regional catchment of interest of approximately 800 million people. Consequently, when considering the review and the question of religiously-based or economically-based embassies, members might consider that aspect.