Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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130. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he intends to reopen the Irish embassy in the Vatican; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48811/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In November 2011, the Government announced its decision to close Ireland’s Embassy to the Holy See. This decision was driven by economic factors deriving from our need to cut public expenditure and focus the modest resources of our diplomatic service on economic recovery.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government decided to appoint the Secretary General of my Department as non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, thereby ensuring that contact with the Holy See is maintained at the highest possible diplomatic level. The Ambassador travels to Rome regularly and I am satisfied that the current arrangement for Ireland’s representation at the Holy See is the most effective possible in light of the resource constraints faced by my Department.

While there is no plan to re-establish a resident Embassy to the Holy See in the immediate term, I will keep the deployment of our diplomatic and consular resources under review in light of ongoing national priorities and the availability of resources.