Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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176. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of engagement between his Department and the Government of Malaysia during 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38792/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Malaysia is an important partner for Ireland, with which we have regular engagement at political and official level, in line with the Government’s Strategy for the Asia Pacific.

Our positive diplomatic relations have been supported by the work of the resident Embassies in each other’s countries. The Embassy of Ireland in Kuala Lumpur opened in 1995 and was Ireland’s first Embassy in South East Asia. The Ambassador to Malaysia, Ms. Orla Tunney, and the Embassy team regularly engage with Government Ministries in Malaysia, including on behalf of other Government Departments and stakeholders, whether to resolve issues, or to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation on issues of mutual importance. The Embassy follows and reports regularly on matters of relevance to Ireland’s interests in Malaysia. The work of the Embassy of Malaysia in Dublin, opened in 2001, is also crucial to the bilateral relationship. When the Embassy opened in 2001, it was the first resident Embassy of a South East Asian country in Ireland and in the years since, its work has been vital to advancing diplomatic relations. Officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have excellent ongoing engagement with the Ambassador and his team.

An important aspect of our diplomatic engagement is regular bilateral consultations, which allow for comprehensive discussion of the bilateral relationship and issues of mutual concern. In November 2024, a delegation from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, led by the Director General responsible for the Asia-Pacific, travelled to Kuala Lumpur for bilateral consultations with senior Malaysian counterparts from a number of key Ministries. A range of political, trade, and people-to-people issues were discussed and follow up agreed.

Ireland also regularly engages with Malaysia at the UN and through our regional groupings of the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In February 2024, both countries were represented at Ministerial level at the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum and EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. Following the EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, a Joint Ministerial Statement was published which reaffirmed the groupings’ shared values and common interests and outlined areas of ongoing and future cooperation.

There were a number of other positive engagements between Ireland and Malaysia in 2024. A parliamentary delegation, led by H.E. Mr Johari Abdul, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, visited Ireland form 27 April to 1 May. During the visit, the Speaker met his counterpart, then-Ceann Comhairle Sean O'Fearghail TD, and paid a courtesy call to then-Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer TD. In September 2024, then-Minster of State in the Department of Finance Neale Richmond TD, attended the National Day of Malaysia celebration hosted by the Embassy of Malaysia. The Minister’s remarks at the event noted the strong connections between Malaysia and Ireland across business and trade, education and people-to-people ties.

I look forward to the further strengthening and deepening of engagement between Ireland and Malaysia in 2025 and in the years to come.