Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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396. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of new embassies that have been opened around the world for the past five years; the locations of same in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10870/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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'Global Ireland 2025' provides a 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.

No new missions were opened in 2017 or 2020. Please see below in tabular form the new missions opened in 2018, 2019 and 2021: