Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2025
165. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Tánaiste and 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]
View answerLatvia 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.
