Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider establishing an embassy in Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41887/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government does not currently have plans to open an Embassy in Baghdad. The Embassy of Ireland in Amman is accredited to Iraq.

Ireland’s global impact and diplomatic network has been strengthened by the Global Ireland Programme, which was launched in 2018. The Global Ireland programme aims to double Ireland's international impact and influence in the period 2018 to 2025, including through an expanded and strengthened diplomatic presence.

Since the launch of the Global Ireland programme, 22 new Missions have been opened or announced to open. A new Embassy was opened in Amman, Jordan, in 2019, and in Rabat, Morocco, in 2021, and we are in the process of opening an Embassy in Tehran. These new missions expand our diplomatic presence in the Middle East, complementing the presence of existing embassies in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, as well as a representative office in Ramallah. There are also Honorary Consuls based in Beirut, Manama, Alexandria, Damascus, and Muscat.

Any decision on the opening of a new embassy is considered by reference to Ireland’s national, political and economic priorities. Against these and other factors, the Government keeps the matter of opening further embassies under active review.