Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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55. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to open an embassy in Croatia, in view of its recent accession the European Union, if he will replace the existing honorary consul; his views that such an embassy would be able to manage the wider Irish interests in the Western Balkans, in view of the fact that numerous nations in the region are candidates for EU membership and will become EU member states in the years to come; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35687/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland and Croatia enjoy excellent bilateral and diplomatic relations. This was underlined last month when President Higgins made the first State Visit during his term of office to that country. Subsequently I travelled to Zagreb on 30 June to participate in the celebrations to mark Croatia becoming the twenty-eighth member of the European Union. Croatia’s accession to the EU on 1 July can only strengthen the strong ties between our two countries further. The Irish Embassy in Ljubljana is currently accredited to Croatia on a non-resident basis and there is an Honorary Consul of Ireland in Croatia. Diplomatic relations with countries of the Western Balkans are maintained by our embassies in neighbouring countries. This continues to prove an effective means for managing relations in Croatia and the wider region. Our mission network is kept under constant review.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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56. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to appoint a new honorary consul in Lima, Peru, following the position becoming vacant on 1 August 2013; the medium to long-term plans he has for visa applications rather than applications being sent to the embassy of Ireland in Mexico City, Mexico; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35771/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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No decision has as yet been taken on the appointment of a new Irish Honorary Consul in Peru. In the interim, visa applicants from Peru will submit their applications directly to the Irish Embassy in Mexico. This situation will be monitored by the Embassy to ensure an acceptable level of service is provided to citizens of Peru.