Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 (VCDR) identifies three categories of Mission staff as follows:

- Diplomatic staff

- Administrative and Technical staff, and

- Service staff

Pursuant to Article 10, VCDR, the Department of Foreign Affairs shall be notified, inter alia, of the appointment of members of the Mission, their arrival and their final departure or the termination of their functions with the Mission.

The number of staff at each Mission fluctuates regularly due to the staff rotations of the sending States which have Missions in Ireland.

Pursuant to Article 11 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 (VCDR), in the absence of a specific agreement as to the size of a Mission, the host State may require that the size of a Mission be kept within limits considered by it to be reasonable and normal, having regard to circumstances and conditions in the host State and to the needs of the particular Mission.

In general, Ireland's practice has been not to enter into specific agreements regarding the size of individual Missions or to require that the size of individual Missions be kept within specified limits pursuant to Article 11

Ireland continues to keep our policies and practices in this regard under review and, like all host states, has the option of engaging on the issue of staffing levels with any individual Mission as required, pursuant to Article 11 of the VCDR.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Embassy in Iran was closed in 2012 for financial reasons. In 2021 the Government decided to re-establish an Irish diplomatic presence in Iran in two phases. The first phase began in August 2021 with the appointment of a Chargé d’affaires in Tehran, co-located in the German Embassy in Tehran, with the Irish Embassy in Ankara remaining accredited to Iran. The second phase involves the re-opening of the Embassy in Tehran in 2023.

While planning is underway on this basis, as with all Embassy openings, plans are regularly reviewed in the light of political and security developments. I would note that there is strong EU engagement with Iran, and 22 EU Member States have a diplomatic presence in Tehran.

As is the case with all Ireland’s diplomatic contacts with other governments, the input and analysis from Irish diplomats and officials on the ground play an essential role in ensuring that our policy and political discussions, at all levels, are as informed and impactful as possible. An Irish Embassy in Tehran will also allow Ireland to more effectively deliver clear and firm messages directly to the Iranian government, including on issues like human rights and Iran’s nuclear activities.

Ireland’s diplomatic presence since August 2021 has been critical for engagement with Iran on a number of key regional files we have worked on at the UN Security Council, including Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and the Iran nuclear deal. Those issues continue to be priorities for Ireland after our term on the Council. While there is a relatively small population of Irish citizens living in Iran, and trade is currently limited due to the impact of sanctions, Iran remains a country with significant influence on the political, security, and economic dynamics of the broader Middle East.

Costs included as part of the 2021 memo to government included an estimated €1.5 million per annum, plus a one-off fit out cost of a new Chancery of around €1 million. The cost of the mission for 2021 was €87,000 and the estimated cost, pending final accounts for 2022, was €284,000. The budget for 2023 remains to be finalised.