Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

350. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on recent activities of the Irish Consulate in Mumbai, including staffing numbers. [49991/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Consulate General of Ireland in Mumbai opened in 2019 in an Ireland House format, co-located with Enterprise Ireland and IDA offices in Mumbai. Tourism Ireland is represented in Mumbai by a local contract agent. The Consulate is a two diplomat mission, supported by three local staff.

The Consulate provides consular support and assistance to Irish citizens in India, including those in difficulty, as well as a range of consular services. It also works to create opportunities for Irish companies seeking to do business in India, and opportunities for trade with, and investment in, Ireland by Indian businesses. It hosts events for the clients and key contacts of the Irish State Agencies at Ireland House, and supports Irish exporters in terms of entering the Indian market.

Together with the State Agencies, the Consulate coordinates programmes for visiting Ministers, including to mark Saint Patrick’s Day earlier this year. It participated in a number of engagements at the invitation of local authorities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. The Consulate undertook a social media campaign highlighting the links between our respective independence movements, building visibility for Ireland, and strengthening our bilateral relations.

The Consulate is actively working to promote Ireland as a filming location for the Indian film industry, and to identify opportunities to raise the profile of Ireland through Irish culture. It has collaborated with the State Agencies and with the Ireland India Business Association and Cricket Ireland on promoting Ireland during the Ireland-India T20 cricket matches in Ireland in June 2022.