Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

126. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to open an Irish embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia; if Georgia is included in plans to double the Irish diplomatic footprint by 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49482/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The doubling of Ireland's global footprint by 2025 commenced with the recent Government decisions to open new Embassies in Santiago, Chile; Bogotá, Colombia; Amman, Jordan; and Wellington, New Zealand; and new Consulates General in Vancouver, western Canada and Mumbai, India, on a phased basis from 2018. This will expand Ireland’s diplomatic network to 65 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions, 13 Consulates General and one Representative office.

The locations for any possible new missions are considered by the Government and identified on the basis of where they would have the greatest impact and the greatest potential to deliver in terms of the State’s economic and political interests and provide clear benefits for the State.

At present, Ireland’s bilateral relationship with Georgia is fostered on a concurrent basis through our Embassy in Sofia. The question of opening a resident diplomatic mission in Georgia will be considered in the context of the wider plan to augment our network to 2025.