Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 48: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will clarify the situation in relation to recent closures of embassies; if he will list the number of countries with an ambassador assigned in which there is no resident ambassador, the countries serviced by a diplomat below ambassador level, the location of each ambassador, and other countries serviced by a diplomatic consulate or honorary consulate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36421/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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At its meeting on 3 November 2011, the Government concluded, with great reluctance and regret, that it was necessary to close Ireland's Embassies in the Holy See and Iran and its Representative Office in Timor Leste due to the acute budgetary pressures arising from our targets under the EU/IMF programme. Ireland will maintain diplomatic relations and continue its active engagement with each of these States through the appointment of non-resident Ambassadors. Arrangements are being made to accredit a senior Dublin-based diplomat to the Holy See and to accredit an Ambassador in the region to Iran. Our Ambassador in Singapore will continue to serve as non-resident Ambassador to Timor Leste.

The Government has also made arrangements to fill the existing ambassadorial vacancies in Brussels, Canberra and Stockholm and others that will arise over the next few months. The new Ambassadors will take up duty as soon as possible.

When the recent decisions regarding mission closures are taken into account, Ireland will have 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions, and 10 Consulates General and other offices overseas. In addition to their country of primary accreditation, many Ambassadors are also accredited to additional countries on a non-resident basis.

The details of the locations of our missions abroad and the countries of secondary accreditation are provided in tabular format. Also provided below are the locations of our Honorary Consuls.

Honorary Consuls