Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 4: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions he has taken to change his policy and engagement since the conference of 1 June that he undertook with Irish ambassadors and Heads of Mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33775/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The "Promoting Ireland Abroad" conference in June enabled interaction with all of my Department's senior overseas representatives, Irish business leaders and heads of Irish economic agencies. The Taoiseach and I outlined the Government's approachto promoting Ireland as open for business and set out the role of the State's diplomatic networks in this regard. I set as a priority our contribution to renewed and sustainable growth by promoting Ireland's economic and trading interests, cultural and scientific profile and reputation internationally in close co-operation with other Departments and agencies. Responsibility for certain trade functions transferred to my Department on 1 June. I now chair the new Export Trade Council, which has held its inaugural meeting and which aims at creating a more co-ordinated approach to promoting our trade, tourism and investment sectors.

Last month's Global Irish Economic Forum allowed the opportunity for a discussion of our priorities for economic renewal with key members of the international business community and for strengthening our ties with the Irish diaspora. The forum was marked by a high level of enthusiasm among the participants. The global Irish network in particular will be an important partner in our efforts to restore our international reputation.

I have led a number of trade missions, including to Japan and South Korea last month and to Moscow this week. My colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for trade and development, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is leading a trade mission to South Africa. The diplomatic network has also had significant involvement in a range of economic promotion activities, including trade missions led by other Ministers.

Aside from the closures of the three missions mentioned in an earlier question, there are ongoing efforts to explore greater efficiencies in our external representation. To this end, I am extending the pilot scheme that provides for missions with only one diplomat. I have also carried out an internal restructuring of the Department in Dublin aimed at organising work on a more geographical basis with new regional units having lead responsibility in the management of the fullest possible range of relations with their particular countries. The restructuring is designed to meet the need for more focused and efficient delivery of services and policy goals and should result in more coherent and efficient outputs.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Tánaiste for his response. On the face of it, his initiative on 1 June was positive, but where is the beef? Has there been an obvious change in the diplomatic stance of our ambassadors and heads of mission across the world? Will the Tánaiste point to specific measures operating to the benefit of the country that are now in place that were not in effect before 1 June?

The Tánaiste raised the issue of achieving economies across the diplomatic system, an important aim that we accept. The Tánaiste also referred to the question on the three missions to be closed. A broad-based cost saving measure might have been preferable to his decision to save €1.8 million, a small amount of money.

Where is the beef? What are the specific, tangible changes in the approaches of our diplomats that are beginning to yield benefits for us?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The beef is in the country's improved reputation. It is fair to point out that, when we took office in March, Ireland had suffered considerable damage to its international reputation and the weekly reports we got on what was being said about Ireland in the international press made for embarrassing reading. I am happy to say that this situation has been turned around. Our strategy is aimed at restoring the country's reputation and has been pursued successfully in Europe through my work and that of the Taoiseach and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs. We have made a concerted effort across Europe to improve the country's reputation. The convening of the meeting of the heads of mission formed part of that strategy, as did our briefings for other countries' diplomatic representatives to Ireland, the programme of visits we have undertaken to a range of countries, the convening of the global Irish network and our joined-up approach to trade promotion. The Export Trade Council will co-ordinate our entire trade operation across Departments. This format is replicated at a country level where our ambassadors will act as team leaders for those countries in which we have representation, be it in the form of embassies or agencies. Even though we will have a small presence in individual countries, our representation and impact will get the greatest bang for our limited buck.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I intend no disrespect to our diplomats. I have much respect for them, but surely the Tánaiste agrees that the restoration of our reputation abroad derives from the implementation of the previous Government's four-year plan and that many of our reputational difficulties derived from the negative comments made in this Chamber and this country. I wish the Tánaiste well with his efforts to continue rebuilding, but let us be clear about where the difficulties came from in the first instance.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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The Opposition was not in power.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am very clear about where the difficulties originated. At these sessions, I try to be as non-partisan as I can-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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So do I.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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-----but the Deputy keeps tempting me.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Resist.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Let us be clear about where the problems originated. In fairness, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl acknowledges that the work done since the change of Government has been proactive and that we have consciously set out to rebuild the country's reputation at official level with other governments. For example, our work in talking with media and business leaders has achieved a great deal. Compare the recent commentary about Ireland with the commentary in March. There is no comparison, it has improved enormously.

This has been reflected in the markets. The spreads in our interest rates have decreased. It is reflected in our trade performance, in that our exports have increased.

It is also reflected in the interest in terms of foreign direct investment and the strategy the Government is pursuing is to use every means at our disposal to promote the country's interest, to get increased investment here from wherever to create jobs and grow our economy, and because we are an exporting economy to use every opportunity available to us to increase our trade.

This week I had a very successful meeting in Russia of the joint economic commission which agreed to concentrate on work which will promote trade and business between Ireland and Russia in five sectors. It is the BRIC country which is nearest to us geographically. It is part of the European continent and there is enormous potential for development of trade and business between the two countries. We will continue to work proactively at this. I would welcome an opportunity here or at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to have a longer discussion on where I see the potential for increasing these trade and business links.