Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 February 2025
49. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of honorary consuls appointed by Ireland, by country; the basis on which honorary consuls are recruited and appointed; their terms of reference; what diplomatic privileges they enjoy, if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3415/25]
View answerIreland currently has 94 Honorary Consuls operating in 55 countries across the globe, (see below list of countries where our Honorary Consuls are based). Our global network of Honorary Consuls offers vital support to the Government across a range of priorities, including providing a means of meeting the needs of Irish citizens in regions where we do not have a resident diplomatic Mission.
The services provided by the network include responding to enquiries in relation to passports, visas and travel to Ireland, as well as providing vital assistance in emergency consular assistance cases. Our Honorary Consuls also have an important role in promoting the broader interests of the State overseas. They support Irish diplomatic missions and the relevant State Agencies in establishing connections to key local stakeholders, in areas such as business, politics, culture and education.
The position of an Honorary Consul is honorary in nature - unsalaried and non-pensionable. An appointment to the role is generally made upon the recommendation of the relevant accredited diplomatic mission, for an initial period of 3 years, with the potential for renewal thereafter.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade operates a comprehensive and robust system for managing appointments to Ireland’s Honorary Consul network. In order to identify a pool of potential candidates, expressions of interest are sought through public advertising of the position, before a selection process is undertaken to find the most suitable candidate to fill the role. Once the successful candidate has been identified, the agreement of the host country must be obtained before the new Honorary Consul can be officially appointed.
The functions, privileges and immunities of Honorary Consuls are set out in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963. The Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act, 1967 gave the Convention the force of law in the State and enabled Ireland to ratify the Convention the same year.
The position of Irish Honorary Consuls is covered under Irish law by the Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Provision of Services) Act, 1993.
List of locations of Honorary Consuls of Ireland
|
Country of Accreditation |
City |
|
Armenia |
Yerevan |
|
Australia |
Perth |
|
Bahamas |
Nassau |
|
Bahrain |
Manama |
|
Bangladesh |
Dhaka |
|
Belgium |
Antwerp |
|
Bermuda |
Hamilton |
|
Bolivia |
La Paz/Santa Cruz |
|
Botswana |
Gaborone |
|
Canada |
Calgary |
|
Canada |
Halifax, Nova Scotia |
|
Canada |
St John's |
|
Canada |
Québec City |
|
Canada |
Edmonton |
|
Colombia |
Barranquilla |
|
Croatia |
Split |
|
Ecuador |
Guayaquil |
|
Egypt |
Alexandria |
|
France |
Cherbourg |
|
France |
Roscoff |
|
France |
Toulouse |
|
Georgia |
Tbilisi |
|
Germany |
Cologne |
|
Germany |
Hamburg |
|
Germany |
Stuttgart |
|
Ghana |
Accra |
|
Greece |
Corfu |
|
Greece |
Heraklion |
|
Greece |
Rhodes |
|
Greece |
Thessaloniki |
|
Guatemala |
Guatemala City |
|
Iceland |
Reykjavik |
|
India |
Bengaluru |
|
India |
Chennai |
|
India |
Kolkata |
|
Iran |
Tehran |
|
Jamaica |
Kingston |
|
Japan |
Sapporo |
|
Lebanon |
Beirut |
|
Lesotho |
Maseru |
|
Mexico |
Cancun |
|
Mexico |
Guadalajara |
|
Mexico |
Monterrey |
|
Moldova |
Chisinau |
|
Monaco |
Monte Carlo |
|
Morocco |
Agadir |
|
Morocco |
Casablanca |
|
Namibia |
Windhoek |
|
Nepal |
Kathmandu |
|
New Zealand |
Auckland |
|
Nigeria |
Lagos |
|
Norway |
Bergen |
|
Oman |
Muscat |
|
Pakistan |
Karachi |
|
Panama |
Panama City |
|
Paraguay |
Asuncion |
|
Peru |
Lima |
|
Poland |
Poznan |
|
Portugal |
Almancil |
|
Romania |
Oradea |
|
Romania |
Cluj -Napoca |
|
Serbia |
Belgrade |
|
Spain |
Alicante |
|
Spain |
Barcelona |
|
Spain |
Bilbao |
|
Spain |
Gran Canaria |
|
Spain |
Lanzarote |
|
Spain |
Mallorca |
|
Spain |
Seville |
|
Spain |
Tenerife |
|
Spain |
Vigo |
|
Sri Lanka |
Colombo |
|
Sweden |
Gothenburg |
|
Switzerland |
Zurich |
|
Syria |
Damascus |
|
Thailand |
Chiang Mai |
|
Tunisia |
Tunis |
|
Turkey |
Antalya |
|
Turkey |
Izmir |
|
USA |
Charlotte |
|
USA |
Denver |
|
USA |
New Orleans |
|
USA |
Pittsburgh |
|
USA |
San Diego |
|
USA |
Charleston |
|
USA |
Cleveland |
|
USA |
St. Louis |
|
USA |
Orlando |
|
USA |
Buffalo |
