Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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60. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the work of the Irish Embassy in London. [41528/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Embassy of Ireland in London works actively to promote and protect Ireland’s interests in Great Britain, with a particular focus on supporting political, economic, cultural and people-to-people ties between our two countries.

The Embassy is Ireland’s largest bilateral diplomatic mission in a single city and includes representation from seven Government Departments. The Embassy undertakes wide-ranging representation activities, including supporting the extensive Irish community in Great Britain, as well as providing passport, consular and visa services.It also works closely with state agencies based in the city to protect and advance our economic and trading links with Great Britain.

The strength of Irish representation in London reflects the importance of relations with our nearest neighbour. The bilateral relationship has faced many challenges in recent years. However, at its heart, the British-Irish relationship remains profoundly important and consequential. Peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland are best safeguarded by close relations between our countries.

Recognising this, the Government has invested significantly to protect and sustain the British-Irish relationship in recent years. This has included investment not only in representation at the Embassy in London, but also in the Irish footprint across Great Britain. This includes a newly established Consulate in Manchester and a re-opened Consulate in Cardiff, who work closely also with Ireland’s long-established Consulate in Edinburgh. Together, the Embassy and Consulate network works to protect Irish interests in Great Britain, while also furthering relations across political, economic, cultural and community spheres.