Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of the diplomatic and trading relationship between Ireland and Estonia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55184/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has an excellent bilateral relationship with Estonia. Irish-Estonian relations within the EU are positive and we are likeminded on many areas of EU policy, particularly on approaches to the Single Market, banking and capital markets unions, and the digital single market.

I regularly engage with my Estonian counterpart, Minister Margus Tsahkna, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. In addition, former Minister of State for European Affairs, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill T.D., travelled to Estonia in September last year and met with the Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jonatan Vseviov. They had an extensive bilateral discussion focusing on our support for Ukraine and topics on the EU policy agenda.

My department maintains regular diplomatic contacts with Estonia, primarily through our Embassy in Tallinn, which opened in 2001. The Embassy works to enhance the political and economic relationship between Ireland and Estonia, to enhance links with the Irish diaspora and promote Ireland and Irish culture. Estonia’s diplomatic representation to Ireland is based in Dublin and opened in 1997.

The Enterprise Ireland office in Warsaw manages the Baltic States, including Estonia, and works closely with the Embassy in Tallinn. Goods exports for 2024 amounted to €28m and imports were €25m. In services, Ireland exported €394m in 2023.

Bilateral ties with the entire Nordic Baltic region, including Estonia, have deepened in recent years. As we move closer to our Presidency of the Council of the European Union I look forward to even closer cooperation with Estonia including further exchanges at all levels of government.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of the diplomatic and trading relationship between Ireland and Latvia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55185/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Latvia and Ireland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. We have a shared outlook across many areas of EU policy, including tax, single digital market, CAP and climate change. I regularly engage with my Latvian counterpart, Minister Baiba Braže, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Ireland has ongoing, high-level engagement with Latvia; Minister Braže visited Dublin last September and met with then-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin T.D. They had a productive discussion focusing on bilateral relations, support for Ukraine, as well as other topics on the EU policy agenda.

My department maintains regular diplomatic contacts with Latvia, primarily through our Embassy in Riga, which opened in 2005. The Embassy works to enhance the political and economic relationship between Ireland and Latvia, to enhance links with the Irish diaspora and promote Ireland and Irish culture. Latvia opened a resident Embassy in Dublin in 2003.

The Enterprise Ireland office in Warsaw manages the Baltic States, including Latvia, and works closely with the Embassy in Riga. Goods exports to Latvia in 2024 amounted to €57m and imports were €69m. In services, Ireland exported €491m in 2023 and imported €54m.

Bilateral ties with the entire Nordic Baltic region, including Latvia, have deepened in recent years. As we move closer to our Presidency of the Council of the European Union I look forward to even closer cooperation with Latvia including further exchanges at all levels of government.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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166. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of the diplomatic and trading relationship between Ireland and Lithuania; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55186/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Lithuania and Ireland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. We have a shared outlook across so many areas of EU policy: on competitiveness, on trade and on solidarity with Ukraine. As we move closer to our Presidency of the Council of the European Union, I look forward to even closer cooperation with Lithuania, including exchanges at all levels of government, as Lithuania forms part of our EU ‘Presidency Trio’ alongside Greece. We were delighted to welcome President Nauseda and the First Lady on an official visit to Ireland in early July.

I regularly engage with my Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. In addition, the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Sigitas Mitkus visited Ireland last May. He met with my colleague, the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne, T.D. They had an extensive bilateral discussion with a focus on our shared commitment to Ukraine and the importance of the EU working together across all policy areas in support of Ukraine. Ireland and Lithuania have supported, alongside the European Commission, the construction and equipping of underground school shelters in Ukraine. Ministers Byrne and Mitkus also visited Ukraine together in late April.

Our bilateral trade relationship continues to grow. Goods exports to Lithuania for 2024 amounted to €98m and imports were €166m. In services, Ireland exported €468m in 2023 and imported €65m.

Bilateral ties with the entire Nordic Baltic region, including Lithuania, have deepened in recent years. As we move closer to our Presidency of the Council of the European Union, I look forward to even closer cooperation with Lithuania, including further exchanges at all levels of government.