Written answers

Thursday, 27 January 2022

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Diplomatic Representation

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

84. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the increase in ambassadorial and consular appointments over the past three years in keeping with the goal to double Ireland’s global impact by 2025. [3689/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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'Global Ireland 2025' providesa cross-departmental roadmap to develop a broader and deeper platform to leverage Ireland's engagement globally. This initiative will continue to support efforts to grow and diversify export markets, inward investment and tourism and underpin economic recovery, in close coordination with the relevant State Agencies. In addition, the strategy will ensure that Ireland is better positioned to build the alliances necessary to advance its interests and defend national positions in the post-Brexit EU, while also helping to secure our deep and positive relationship with the UK and its constituent parts into the future.

Ireland's network of diplomatic and consular missions worldwide is critical to the achievement of our foreign policy objectives, supporting our citizens internationally and providing a global economic platform for our businesses. The network also ensures efficient delivery of passport and consular services to our citizens, support to emigrant organisations and outreach to the diaspora and other networks of influence.

Since the launch of Global Ireland, 14 new missions have been opened. These are new Embassies in Wellington, Bogotá, Amman, Monrovia, Santiago de Chile, Kyiv, Rabat and Manila with new Consulates General in Cardiff, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Manchester, Mumbai and Vancouver. Plans are underway to open an Embassy in Dakar and Consulates General in Lyon, Miami and Toronto before the end of 2022. Further expansion of the overseas Mission network remains under review as part of the Global Ireland initiative.

Please see below in tabular form the new missions opened in 2018, 2019 and 2021, and the diplomatic staffing complement attached to each one:

Year Mission Staff
2018 Embassy Monrovia Counsellor x 1 Development Specialist x 1 Third Secretary x 1
2018 Consulate Vancouver First Secretary x 1 Third Secretary x 1
2018 Embassy Wellington First Secretary x 1 Third Secretary x 1
2019 Embassy Amman Principal Development Specialist x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2019 Embassy Bogota Counsellor x 1

First Secretary x 1

Third Secretary x
2019 Embassy Santiago Counsellor x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2019 Consulate Cardiff First Secretary x 1

Executive Officer x 1
2019 Consulate Frankfurt First Secretary x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2019 Consulate Los Angeles First Secretary x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2019 Consulate Mumbai First Secretary x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2020 Not applicable
2021 Embassy Kyiv Counsellor x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2021 Embassy Manila Counsellor x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2021 Embassy Rabat Counsellor x 1

Third Secretary x 1
2021 Consulate Manchester First Secretary x 1

Third Secretary x 1

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