Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I officially opened Ireland's embassy in Kyiv on 23 August last year.

The opening of the embassy marked a new phase in our relationship with Ukraine, through which we can deepen and widen our bilateral co-operation. The embassy also provides consular assistance to Irish citizens and works closely with other EU member states in further developing the EU-Ukraine relationship.

The decision to open an embassy in Kyiv was taken as part of the Government's Global Ireland 2025 initiative. It is one of 14 missions that have been opened since the Global Ireland programme was launched in June 2018 and one of four opened in 2021, the others being Manchester, Rabat and Manila. Global Ireland aims to see Ireland’s global footprint and influence double in the period to 2025, including through an expanded and strengthened diplomatic presence. In addition, the Government decided in 2021 to open a further five new missions in Toronto, Lyon, Miami, Dakar and Tehran, which will bring to 19 the number of new missions opened as a key deliverable of the Global Ireland programme. Mission expansion has been complemented by the strengthening of existing and strategically important missions, including Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, New York UN, Tokyo and Beijing, including the assignment of additional staff from several Departments.

All missions, including the embassy in Kyiv, are located in regions where there are opportunities for Ireland to advance our national, political and economic priorities. Missions work as part of Team Ireland in co-operation with State agencies, including Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland, the IDA, and other Departments, to strengthen Ireland's international reputation and drive the development of trade, tourism, investment, science, technology and innovation, culture and education.

The expansion of the mission network is following the Ireland House model, where all Departments and agencies, where possible, work together in one building. In addition, building on the advances in digital diplomacy made during the pandemic, work on an integrated digital Ireland House continues as a the key platform to deliver on the Global Ireland ambition.

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