Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the countries with whom Ireland has diplomatic relations through a non-resident ambassador; if he has discouraged any of those countries from establishing relations on a resident basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13803/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Article 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, incorporated in the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967, states that "The establishment of diplomatic relations between States, and of permanent diplomatic missions, takes place by mutual consent". Ireland currently has diplomatic relations with 62 countries that have accredited Ambassadors on a non-resident basis. These countries are listed in the following table.

In addition, in the context of the last Security Council Campaign in 2000, Ireland established diplomatic relations with over 30 countries via an exchange of letters between the respective Missions to the United Nations in New York. This type of diplomatic relations did not commit either country to the appointment of either a resident or non-resident Ambassador. A number of these countries have since upgraded their diplomatic relations with Ireland with the appointment of an Ambassador (usually on a non-resident basis). In some cases, Ireland has also appointed an Ambassador to their country.

The normal practice is to accede to the request to accredit an Ambassador where diplomatic relations exist. In that regard, the issue of my discouraging any of the countries in the attached list from establishing resident Missions has not arisen.