Joe Cooney
Question:194. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will report on the recent activities of the Irish Embassy based in Riyadh including staffing levels. [31728/26]
View answerThursday, 30 April 2026
Questions (194)
Written answers
The Embassy of Ireland in Saudi Arabia first opened in Jeddah in 1976 before relocating to Riyadh in 1985. As the first Irish Embassy in the Gulf it has played a significant role in expanding Ireland’s political and economic relations as well as providing support to a growing Irish community.
Currently, the Embassy is staffed by three diplomats who oversee Ireland’s relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Republic of Yemen. The Embassy regularly undertakes missions to Bahrain and Oman in support of Ireland's bilateral relations, engaging with business and diaspora interests there.
Local staffing includes: an office manager; a translator and consular affairs officer; two visa officers; a personal assistant to the Ambassador; an office steward; two drivers; and a maintenance person.
As part of our Global Ireland approach, the Embassy works closely with state agencies including Enterprise Ireland who are co-located within the Embassy in Riyadh, as well as with Bord Bia, the IDA, and Tourism Ireland.
The Embassy regularly works with Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Business Network and hosted a business networking event in February 2026 focused on the aviation sector. A further networking event focused on the construction and engineering sector is planned for early May 2026. The Embassy works closely with daa international as well as third level institutions and continues to provide advice to companies visiting Saudi Arabia.
Ireland maintains strong and ever-growing relations with Saudi Arabia, particularly in the areas of business, education and trade, with many citizens both Saudi and Irish travelling to and from the region. In 2025, the Embassy's consular and visa staff processed 3,737 visa applications, 265 passport applications, and ten emergency travel certificates, while managing some 28 consular cases.
The Embassy also provides active support hosting some 20 events per annum with the resident Irish societies including the Riyadh Irish Society; Naomh Alee GAA; Irish Business Network; and the newly launched Comhaltas Riyadh.
The Embassy also oversees the work of Honorary Consulates in Bahrain and in Oman.
Ireland and the EU have stood in solidarity and support with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners during the current crisis, as they faced unacceptable and unprovoked Iranian attacks. During the crisis, the Embassy has remained open, providing critical ongoing support to the Irish community while also supporting the evacuation of some 190 people through Muscat airport.
Politically, the Embassy engages actively, directly and through the European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council, providing regular engagement and reporting on priority issues of shared interest including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Global Alliance for a Two State Solution and the political and humanitarian crisis in Yemen.