Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade following on from the Government's decision to close the Irish embassy to the Holy See, his plans to close other embassies in small countries that have little or no interest in the Irish people and which could save us revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50538/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The decision taken by the Government in 2011 to close three missions, Ireland’s Embassies to the Holy See and Iran and its representative office in Timor Leste, followed a comprehensive review of our overseas diplomatic network in which particular attention was paid to the promotion of our economic interests and the return from our network of diplomatic and consular missions abroad. Our missions abroad work very closely with the state agencies in the promotion of exports, tourism and inward investment. They provide frontline consular and passport services to citizens overseas, engaging with and supporting Irish communities overseas. They perform also a wide range of functions in support of Ireland’s wider foreign policy interests. These include representing and advancing government policies, in particular in the context of the European Union and at the United Nations, economic and cultural promotion, and programme management, particularly in Irish Aid priority countries.

Ireland’s overseas diplomatic network includes 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 10 Consulates General and other offices. In addition to their country of residence, many Ambassadors are accredited concurrently to additional countries which enhances the cost-effectiveness of our external representation. The scale and deployment of our diplomatic network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis to ensure that it most effectively meets Ireland’s current needs, consistent with the resources available.