Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

50. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of countries who presently have no Embassy here that have approached his Department about setting up such an Embassy here from 2011 to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1206/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since March 2011 there have been no formal approaches to my Department by countries wishing to open a resident Embassy here.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

51. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up an embassy of Ireland in Jakarta, Indonesia; if discussions on this have taken place with Thai officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1207/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

52. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up an embassy of Ireland in Zagreb, Croatia, in view of the fact that they are the newest member of the European Union; if he had any discussions on this with Croatian officials to date, or when he visited Zagreb on their accession date in July 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1208/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

53. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up an embassy of Ireland in Santiago, Chile; if he had any discussions on this with Chilean officials, or when he visited Santiago for the EU-Latin America Summit in January 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1209/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

54. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up an embassy of Ireland in Bogotá, Colombia; if discussions on this have taken place with Colombian officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1210/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

55. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up an embassy of Ireland in Nairobi, Kenya; if discussions on this have taken place with Kenyan officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1211/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

56. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up an embassy of Ireland in Bangkok, Thailand; if discussions on this have taken place with Thai officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1212/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

57. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up a Consulate General of Ireland in Hong Kong; if discussions on this have taken place with officials in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1213/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

58. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up a Consulate General of Ireland in Austin, Texas; if discussions on this have taken place with US officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1214/14]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

59. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on setting up a Consulate General of Ireland in Istanbul, Turkey; if discussions on this have taken place with Turkish officials, or when visited Turkey on a trade mission in April 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1215/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

71. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to establish new diplomatic missions and expand the diplomatic network; if he is considering re-opening the Vatican Embassy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1487/14]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

75. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider reopening the Irish embassy in Tehran in view of the fact that Iran has dropped its ban on importing Irish beef and that the P5+1 talks have reached agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear programme. [1590/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 to 59, inclusive, and 71 and 75 together.

The scale and presence of our diplomatic network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis. Any decision to adjust the state’s external representation, including the opening of missions, will have regard to national priorities and available resources.

At present, Ireland’s diplomatic network includes 56 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 10 Consulates General and other offices. In addition to their country of residence, several Ambassadors are accredited also to further countries on a non-residential basis which enhances the cost-effectiveness of our external representation. Our 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, trade 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.