Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Given the Taoiseach's own connections to India, the first logical question to ask him is whether he plans an official visit. Has he extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of India? I am conscious that India is a country of 1.3 billion people, the largest democracy in the world. Would the Taoiseach agree that we should expand our relationships there?

Not long after his appointment, the Taoiseach spoke about a desire to grow the Irish diplomatic presence abroad. Currently we have an embassy in India as well as four honorary consulates. In countries with which we have strong relationships, normally at least some of these honorary consulates are transformed into full consulates with full diplomatic representation. Given the size of India, which is a subcontinent, would the Taoiseach agree that we should seek to expand?

Has the Taoiseach had an opportunity to discuss human rights issues as they arise in the context of both India and Ireland? Such a discussion might include the potential impact of Brexit on immigration from the Indian subcontinent to the UK which, obviously, at this point in time, still includes Northern Ireland.

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