John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if consideration has been given to opening an Embassy in Cuba; if discussions have taken place with the Cuban authorities on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5832/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Embassy of Ireland to Mexico currently holds Ireland's accreditation to Cuba and is actively engaged on the bilateral relationship with Cuba, regularly interacting with the Cuban authorities, the Irish community in Cuba and the EU Delegation in Havana.

Officials in my Department maintain frequent contact with the Embassy of Cuba in Dublin on a range of issues and initiatives in support of enhancing bilateral relations.

There are no imminent plans to open a resident Embassy of Ireland in Cuba. This has been discussed with the Cuban authorities, including in meetings with officials from the Cuban Foreign Ministry and with the Embassy of Cuba in Ireland, in the context of broader exchanges on our bilateral relationship.

I remain confident that the Cuba-Ireland relationship will continue to benefit from the ongoing implementation of Ireland's Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the work of the respective Embassies across a range of areas.