Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Global Ireland Strategy’s commitment to double Ireland’s global footprint and impact by 2025, work has been stepped up in recent years to enhance Ireland's engagement with the thirty-three countries across Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean. The ambitious regional 'Global Ireland Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2025' outlines the strategic objectives and specific action points to be taken in this regard, with 65 commitments across the areas of political engagement , trade and economic relations, culture, sustainable development goals and people to people links.

In South America, this work has included the opening of two new Embassies in Santiago de Chile and Bogota in 2019, both of which have served to significantly strengthen our relations with Chile, Colombia and the Embassies’ countries of secondary accreditation since their opening.

In 2021, an Office for Central America was opened in the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico City, which covers political, economic and development/cooperation relations with Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. This Office has already delivered a marked increase in engagement across its remit, with strong relationships developed at official and political level and work underway to expand the presence of Honorary Consuls in the region.

We have also deepened our presence across Ireland's six diplomatic Missions in Latin America to include a number of regional roles such as a regional Agriculture Attaché based in Mexico City, a regional Garda Liaison Officer based in Bogotá and a regional Cultural Officer based in Sao Paulo.

My Department, working closely with relevant Government Departments and State Agencies, will continue to implement the strategic aims of the Global Ireland Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean and seek to strengthen our relationships across the region.

Any decision on the opening of a new Embassy or Consulate General is considered with reference to Ireland’s national, political and economic priorities. Against these and other factors, the Government keeps the matter of further openings, including in the Latin America region, under active review.