Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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335. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he met with his New Zealand counterpart during the recent UN General Assembly week. [48242/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland and New Zealand enjoy close diplomatic relations and our Embassies are engaged in a range of activities to deepen our engagement. In April 2021 we held wide-ranging bilateral consultations, with agreed areas of follow up, to further strengthen cooperation in a number of areas, including agriculture. In October 2021, Minister for Agriculture Damien O’Connorvisited and signed a Statement on Joint Cooperation in Agriculture between Ireland and New Zealand at a meeting with Minister Charlie McConalogue. We also work closely with New Zealand in multilateral fora, at the UN and beyond. New Zealand was a strong supporter of our successful UN Security Council election bid.

While I did not meet bilaterally with Foreign Minister Mahuta at the UN General Assembly this month, members of the cabinet have held a number of meetings with the government of New Zealand this year, reflective of our close friendship. The Taoiseach had a phone call with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in June, the Tánaiste met Minister Damien O'Connor in the margins of the World Trade Organisation Conference in Geneva that same month. Minister Poto Williams, who has responsibility for Disability issues and Children, visited in August and met with Minister of State Noonan.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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336. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he plans to visit Germany before the end of 2022. [48243/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Germany is a valued partner within the EU and the range of ongoing contacts at both political and senior official level are extensive, with several Ministerial-level visits to Germany so far this year, including one I made last February when I attended the Munich Security Conference. Under the Germany–Ireland Joint Plan of Action for Enhanced Bilateral and EU Cooperationbilateral engagement with Germany is a priority for Ireland, to be encouraged at every opportunity.

While I have no confirmed plans to visit Germany before the end of this year, I will keep the issue under review and obviously look forward to visiting Germany again should such an appropriate opportunity arise. I will also continue to engage closely with my German counterpart, Foreign Minister Baerbock, on all the various EU and international issues of common interest, including those arising from our membership of the UN Security Council.