Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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93. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Irish Consul General based in Los Angeles has met or spoken directly with the Governor of Hawaii to date in 2024. [45060/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland's Consul General in Los Angeles has not been in direct contact with the Governor of Hawaii in 2024

However, the Consul General visited Hawaii in September 2023 in the aftermath of the devastating fires on Maui. In addition to meeting with members of the Irish community affected by this tragedy, the Consul General met with the Lt. Governor of Hawaii, Sylvia Luke, as well as the Mayor of Maui, Richard Bissen, to directly convey their sympathies on the tragic loss of lives.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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94. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Irish ambassador in Washington DC has visited the state of Virginia to date in 2024; the purpose of the visit; and, if not, whether the ambassador has any plans to visit this state before end of the year. [45061/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland’s Embassy in Washington DC, as our representative office in the United States, leads on Ireland’s political, economic, and people-to-people relations across the United States. In addition to the Embassy’s engagement on a national scale, it also has consular responsibility for Washington, DC and the surrounding states of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.

Since the beginning of 2024 the Irish Ambassador to the United States has had a number of informal political, economic, and cultural engagements in Virginia. The Ambassador and the Embassy also remain in regular contact with a wide range of contacts and businesses based in the state of Virginia. Furthermore, Northern Virginia is part of the Washington DC metropolitan area and as such the Ambassador visits the State regularly.

Through the Global Games Development Fund the Department of Foreign Affairs provides support for Michael Collins and Richmond Battery GAA clubs based in Virginia, as well as the Mid-Atlantic Division.

In the period ahead, the Ambassador and the Embassy will continue to engage with the State of Virginia and with key interlocutors there.