Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 March 2026
146. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on the merits of establishing embassies in all EU accession countries with a view to increasing diplomatic relations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22371/26]
View answerIreland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement and believes that progressing a merit based enlargement policy is the EU’s strongest policy tool to ensure the security and prosperity of our continent. Ireland has benefitted enormously from our EU membership and we believe that other European countries deserve the same opportunity, provided they meet the necessary criteria to do so.
EU enlargement will be a key priority of Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU and we will seek to maintain and build upon recent momentum on this file. We will seek to use our Presidency to facilitate the progression of individual candidacies, where they have met the necessary criteria to do so. My Department is also committed to strengthening and deepening our bilateral relationships with candidate and potential candidacies, recognising the importance of deepening relationships with future EU member states.
Global Ireland 2025 was launched by Government with the aim of doubling Ireland’s footprint and impact by 2025. Under the strategy, Ireland’s diplomatic footprint has expanded significantly with the opening or announcement of twenty-seven new missions, including the opening of resident embassies in candidate countries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Serbia. This builds upon our existing resident embassies in Kyiv and Ankara.
The Programme for Government sets out an ambition for a new Global Ireland 2040 Strategy as successor to the current strategy, which is being coordinated by the Department of An Taoiseach. Consideration of the location of future new Irish missions, including whether to establish missions in EU candidate and potential candidate countries, will be made in the context of the new strategy, and will include a robust analysis of how they might contribute to the promotion of our economic interests, our values in a changing and uncertain international landscape, the promotion of our culture and the building of stronger links with our diaspora.
