Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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319. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Government has advised the President to extend an invitation to President elect of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to take part in a State visit to Ireland. [57053/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Visits to Ireland by foreign Heads of State provide an important opportunity to promote Ireland’s interests internationally and contribute to the development of strong economic, political and cultural links between Ireland and other States.

Depending on the timing and nature of such foreign Head of State visits, they can include elements such as an official welcome ceremony, State hospitality and courtesy calls on the President, the Taoiseach, and the Oireachtas. Other elements may include business or community engagements or visits to places of cultural interest.

A State Visit is the highest level of official visit by a Head of State from one country to another. A prioritised and limited number of State Visits to Ireland take place each year. Over the past decade, and prior to the COVID 19 pandemic, the State would typically host 2-3 State Visits per year.

A limited number of Official or Working Visits to Ireland by Heads of State may also take place in any given year. Such visits typically do not include the same formal ceremonial elements as a State Visit, are shorter in nature, and are often focused on specific engagements.

Invitations to foreign Heads of State to pay a State Visit to Ireland are formally extended by the President of Ireland, who officially hosts visiting Heads of State during such visits. Invitations to foreign Heads of State to pay a State Visit to Ireland are issued by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Government.

It is standard diplomatic practice for the President of Ireland to send letters of congratulations to newly elected Heads of State. Such letters are prepared on advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and may include open, general invitations to such Heads of State to pay a visit to Ireland.

In his recent letter of congratulations to President-elect da Silva of Brazil, the President of Ireland extended such an open, general invitation to the incoming Head of State to visit Ireland; however it was not specified that this should be a State Visit.

Brazil is an important partner for Ireland and one with which we share strong economic, historic and people-to-people links; Brazil is Ireland’s second largest trading partner in the Latin America and Caribbean region, and there are strong ties in terms of the Brazilian diaspora in Ireland and indeed the growing Irish community in Brazil.

Each year, an exercise is undertaken within the Department of Foreign Affairs to bring forward a prioritised programme of State Visits to Ireland for the coming year. Formal invitations are extended to States where there is a clear opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations, promote national and international interests and our values, or to reciprocate a previous State Visit by the President of Ireland.

This annual programme of State Visits to Ireland is prepared in consultation across relevant Divisions within the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of the Taoiseach, and Áras an Uachtaráin.