Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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430. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will establish guidelines in relation to the use of diplomatic bags; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11650/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, 1961 the Department of Foreign Affairs operates a diplomatic bag service to transmit post, equipment and supplies to and from Ireland’s network of diplomatic and consular missions.  Use of the diplomatic bag is governed by an internal office notice, most recently up-dated in 2018, in which staff are reminded that the service is primarily for official use.  The Department does allow for occasional use of the service for the receipt and transmission by posted staff of personal items, including small parcels and letters.  Usage of the diplomatic bag is monitored by the staff of the Department’s headquarters Registry, and by Heads of Missions, in order to ensure compliance with the terms of the office notice.  A general reminder about appropriate use of the diplomatic bag was issued to all staff on 23 February, 2022.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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431. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the breakdown of the total cost of sending and receiving diplomatic bags over the past five years with individual costs associated with each expedition laid out (details supplied). [11651/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, 1961 my Department operates a diplomatic bag service to transmit post, equipment and supplies to and from Ireland’s network of 97 diplomatic and consular missions. The service was procured under EU guidelines and is provided by a professional logistics company with worldwide reach.  In an average year some 5,000 diplomatic bags are sent and received by my Department’s headquarters Registry.  This essential and confidential service is part of the operations of a modern and efficient foreign ministry.The cost of the diplomatic bag service over the past five years and in 2022 to date is set out in the following table.  Costs are not recorded on a mission-by-mission basis.