Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent in relation to foreign embarrasies (details supplied) in 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37924/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department operates a network that includes 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. Ireland’s missions abroad perform a wide range of functions in pursuit of Ireland’s foreign policy interests. These include representing and advancing government policies with other States and in international organisations, in particular the EU and the UN; economic and cultural promotion; frontline consular and passport services to Irish citizens overseas; engaging with Irish communities and harnessing the resource they offer in assisting economic recovery; and programme management, particularly in Irish Aid priority countries.

The annual costs as set out in the following table for 2010 and 2011 are the administrative costs of operating the overseas Missions under the two Votes of my Department – Vote 27 (International Cooperation) and Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs). The figures do not include the salaries of the Irish based staff as these are a charge on the overall salaries budget of the Department rather than on a specific Mission. The budgets of missions that manage significant programmes on behalf of Irish Aid (Vote 27) reflect the additional management and oversight required for the effective implementation of those important programmes.

Mission Expenditure 2010 & 2011