Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As it happens, we just prevented the guillotining of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill in the Seanad, so that work is done. They can proceed now at a casual pace with the rest of the Bill.

I welcome the director general, Ms O'Donoghue, and her colleague, Ambassador Joe Hackett. I welcome also the Portuguese delegation to the committee and all the representatives of embassies in Dublin. It is a great turnout for our meeting because there is great solidarity among all of us in regard to the work in Europe.

I share the compliments expressed about the work of our permanent representatives in Brussels. Some time ago, I was the designated Minister in respect of the Single European Act. I would get an enormous brief on a Sunday night and we would deal with every issue at the time. I had a great ally in John Redwood, who I believe has defected to the Brexiteers, and we worked very closely together. It is very important that the UK knows we are not happy that they are leaving the EU. We have no choice in the matter. It is a matter for them but at least they know we are friends and we will continue that friendship in Brussels where the UK will have a permanent presence.

I very much welcome the expansion plans of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade up to 2025. I am delighted that it is called the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. When I was Minister of State with responsibility for trade, there was a lack of appreciation, particularly among some longer serving ambassadors, that trade issues were part of their portfolio. They felt that they were answerable to the President and that there role was mainly diplomatic but trade is essential. I am very much in favour of the expansion plans. While sometimes costs can be prohibitive, at other times they can be quite keen. When we have ambassadors located in a country, we then have the ear of the government and of Ministers. We have access to trade ministers and to businesses. When an ambassador invites people to the embassy or residence, there is always a tremendous response and respect for such an invitation. The State agencies, including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia, are also important. Embassies are a gateway. It is lovely to be invited to an embassy. Indeed, I am looking forward to going to the Portuguese embassy this evening. One respects such an invitation and that has always been my experience. I have been in Japan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and elsewhere and had the same experience in every country I worked with as Minister of State.

In terms of alliances, I am anxious that we promote the expansion of Europe rather than its contraction. I prepared a report for the Council of Europe on Montenegro, which is available online. In that report, I recommended that negotiations on membership of the EU should move forward. We published a post-monitoring report, which represents a step forward. When I was in Montenegro as a representative of the Council of Europe, I explained that it was not necessary to join NATO in order to join the European Union. I stated that Ireland is a member of the Union but is not a member of NATO. We must build relationships with countries such as Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina. We must work with them through the diplomatic service so that they know that they have a friend in Ireland. We will also have friends in them, of course.

I visited our embassy in the Islamic Republic of Iran where there are currently plans for expansion. I would not be deterred by the views of other countries on the Islamic Republic of Iran. The country has enormous respect for Ireland. We have a good relationship with that country. I am anxious that diplomatic contacts be re-established as quickly as possible. I thank the witnesses for their attendance, for their excellent contributions and for the great work they are doing abroad.