Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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58. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the status of Military Attachés to foreign embassies and Governments here, either on a resident or non-resident basis; if he will outline in tabular form the current list of nations that have Military Attachés here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32630/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Members of diplomatic missions to Ireland are appointed in accordance with the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, as given effect in Irish law by the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967, as amended. Article 7 of the Convention makes provision for the sending state to freely appoint the members of the staff of the mission, but provides that in the case of military, naval or air attachés, the receiving state may require their names to be submitted beforehand, for its approval. Our practice is to require that the names of military, naval or air attachés be submitted for prior approval, which is done through diplomatic channels. Military, naval or air attachés are regarded as members of the diplomatic staff of the mission to which they are accredited and are accorded the appropriate privileges and immunities under the Vienna Convention. A table of the states with accredited Defence Attachés is provided below.