James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his Department’s plans to expand the Irish diplomatic presence in the Middle East given the current circumstances surrounding energy security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15482/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s diplomatic presence in the Middle East includes long established Embassies in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, as well as a representative office in Ramallah. A new Embassy in Amman was opened in 2019. There are also Honorary Consuls in Manama, Alexandria, Beirut, Damascus, and Muscat.

In June 2018, the Government launched the Global Ireland programme, which aims to double Ireland’s global impact by 2025. To date, fourteen new Missions have opened. Four Missions opened in 2021, including Embassies in Kyiv, Manila, Rabat and a Consulate in Manchester. There have been Government decisions to open a further five new Missions. These are Consulates General in Toronto, Lyon and Miami and Embassies in Dakar and Tehran, which will bring to 19 the number of new Missions opened as part of the Global Ireland programme.

All Missions are located in regions where there are opportunities for Ireland to advance our national, economic, and political priorities, including with regard to issues such as energy security. Missions work as part of an integrated 'Team Ireland' model, in cooperation with State Agencies and other Government Departments, to strengthen Ireland's international reputation and promote our interests in trade, tourism, investment, science, technology and innovation, culture and education.

In considering any further expansion of the Diplomatic network, a range of factors will be taken into account. The Government is conscious of the factors that might warrant the opening of new Missions in a number of countries and will keep the matter under active review.