Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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37. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the expansion of the embassy network with particular reference to the "Winning Business and Jobs" abroad strand of the Action Plan for Jobs, and if further development of consulates such as that in Austin, Texas, which is based on a multi-agency approach, is under consideration. [2602/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy (2010-2015) is being implemented over the course of the current Programme for Government. It was reviewed in a process led by my Department and involving relevant Departments, State agencies and private sector members of the Export Trade Council.

In the Review, published in February 2014, the original plan of 25 individual Action Points linked to the achievement of numerical targets was revised into a framework of 16 Action Points grouped under three main themes: Reputation, Facilitating and Enabling, and Winning Business and Jobs, the latter in particular linking closely with the Action Plan for Jobs.

In implementing the ‘Winning Business and Jobs’ theme, and taking account of the new market approach set out in the Review, over the past twelve months the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has opened new Embassies and Consulates General in key locations in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas which will provide a platform for the further promotion of Irish exports, investment, tourism and education. In certain of these locations, including Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, and Austin, Texas, the newly-opened Consulates General will complement Ireland’s existing State agency presence in these priority markets. This will facilitate the close engagement between these new Consulates General and the State agencies which is enjoyed in other countries where Ireland’s Embassies, Consulates, and State agency offices are co-located.

A further aspect of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s contribution to “Winning Business and Jobs” is the Department’s continued close cooperation with Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Bord Bia and other State agencies to promote Ireland, Irish companies and Irish products overseas. This is particularly the case in relation to the preparation for and implementation of high-level visits - such as the State Visit by President Higgins to the UK last year - and Enterprise Ireland and other Ministerial-led trade missions and events, of which 19 took place during 2014.

The scale and deployment of our diplomatic network is reviewed periodically.