Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland currently has over 80 Honorary Consuls operating in more than 50 countries across the globe. Our global network of Honorary Consuls offers vital support to the Department of Foreign Affairs across a range of priorities, including providing a means of meeting the needs of Irish citizens in regions where we do not have a resident diplomatic Mission.

The services provided by the network include responding to enquiries in relation to passports, visas and travel to Ireland, as well as providing vital assistance in emergency consular assistance cases. Our Honorary Consuls also have an important role in promoting the broader interests of the State overseas. They support Irish diplomatic missions and the relevant State Agencies in establishing connections to key local stakeholders, in areas such as business, politics, culture and education.

The position of an Honorary Consul is honorary in nature - unsalaried and non-pensionable. An appointment to the role is generally made upon the recommendation of the relevant accredited diplomatic mission, for an initial period of 3 years, with the potential for renewal thereafter.

The Department of Foreign Affairs operates a comprehensive and robust system for managing appointments to Ireland’s Honorary Consul network. In order to identify a pool of potential candidates, expressions of interest are sought through public advertising of the position, before a selection process is undertaken to find the most suitable candidate to fill the role. Once the successful candidate has been identified, the agreement of the host country must be obtained before the new Honorary Consul can be officially appointed.

A request to establish a consular post in Ireland headed by an Honorary Consul should be submitted to Protocol Division in the Department of Foreign Affairs under cover of a Third Party Note by the accredited Embassy to Ireland (or, if no accredited Embassy, by the Foreign Ministry of the sending State). The request should contain a detailed curriculum vitae, details of the proposed class of post, the tasks to be undertaken as well as the seat and jurisdiction of the post. Accredited Embassies are continually kept abreast of the rules and procedures for the appointment of Honorary Consuls.