Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Senator Daly raises an important issue. I do not know the criteria for the selection of an honorary consul. One has an idea that in other countries that the selection of a consul is based on whether the person was a fundraiser for the party in government. I am not saying that is the way it operates in Ireland. I do not know the criteria of how we select a consul or the criteria for where he or she is based. I probably should.

I think it would be important that we invite somebody to outline how the position of consul is filled. The then ambassador in Canada came up with the idea and took the initiative to appoint consuls in Canada, which has gone down very well and is seen as a positive in Canada.

I am conscious that people in other parts of the world go to the consul if they have difficulties and so on. Some consulates are probably more busy than others. I would be interested in how we come up with the criteria for those whom we would like to appoint, who and how they are selected and how one decides on the location.

Senator Daly has raised an important issue and I think it is worthy of investigation by the committee.