Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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349. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he plans to invite his Portuguese counterpart to Ireland before the end of 2022. [49990/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s bilateral relationship with Portugal is important and highly valued. The Irish and Portuguese Governments work closely together on many issues, particularly in an EU context.

I look forward to meeting my Portuguese counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs João Gomes Cravinho, in Dublin on 20 October. Minister Cravinho will accompany H.E. Prof. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic, on a State Visit to Ireland which is taking place that week.

This State Visit was unfortunately postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, but will now occur in this 80th anniversary year of the opening of Ireland’s diplomatic mission in Lisbon.

In addition to this, Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne T.D. is scheduled to host his Portuguese counterpart, Secretary of State Tiago Antunes, for a meeting in Dublin on 9 November.