Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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49. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to list all foreign ambassadors, or equivalent, who have been expelled since the foundation of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49392/23]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to list all embassy or consular staff who have been expelled since the foundation of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49393/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.

Diplomatic relations between States, and the exchange of Ambassadors and diplomatic staff among States, are addressed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 (VCDR), as transposed into Irish law by the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967.

Under Article 9 of the VCDR, the receiving State may at any time and without having to explain its decision, notify the sending State that the head of a diplomatic mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is persona non grata or that any other member of the staff of the mission is not acceptable. In any such case, the sending State shall either recall the person concerned or terminate their functions with the mission.

Based on a review of records held by my Department in the time available, I can confirm that there is no record of Article 9, VCDR being invoked in relation to the head of a foreign diplomatic mission in Ireland.

Insofar as other members of staff of a foreign diplomatic mission are concerned and on the same basis, records held by my Department indicate that Article 9 VCDR has been invoked 9 times to date in respect of diplomatic staff and as follows: