Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

It is important to state the total number of embassies is 76, with most of our missions having three diplomatic staff or fewer. Seven missions have one diplomat. In talking about a strategic plan, in most of our embassies it is to multi-task and perform a range of functions. These include consular activity, intergovernmental work and leading the trade effort.

In dealing with the trade effort the embassies lead a market team, involving agencies such as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland. This team, in turn, feeds into the work of the Export Trade Council which co-ordinates activity across all Government agencies. The council is chaired by me and other ministerial colleagues. Four embassies have vacancies. We are looking at the embassy network in the context of the comprehensive spending review. I intend to bring proposals to the Government shortly in respect of the ambassadorial posts to be filled.

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