Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 30: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the annual cost to the State of running the Irish embassies in Iran and the Vatican; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33706/11]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 31: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a breakdown of the cost per annum of running the Irish embassies in Iran and the Vatican; if he is contemplating closing other overseas missions aside from the three announced last week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33707/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 31 together.

The operating budgets for the Embassies in Iran and the Holy See for 2011 amount to €420,987 and €348, 049 respectively. These allocations cover items such as local staff salary costs, premises expenses, office machinery, official travel and post and telecommunications. By moving the Embassy to Italy into the building currently occupied by the Embassy to the Holy See further savings on rent amounting to €445,000 in a full year will be made.

The regrettable, but necessary, decision to close these Missions, and the Irish Representative Office in Dili, Timor Leste, followed a thorough review carried out by my Department in which particular weight was given to the promotion of Irish economic interests abroad. There are no plans to close any further Missions. Nevertheless, the scale and presence of the Irish diplomatic network is kept under ongoing review in the light of changing circumstances and needs. Given the current budgetary situation, and recognising the role that our diplomatic network is playing in Ireland's economic recovery, any further adjustments to our diplomatic network will continue to be strategically focused.