Donna McGettigan
Question:216. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has spoken formally with his Australian counterpart to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38610/26]
View answerThursday, 21 May 2026
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Ireland enjoys a deep and wide ranging bilateral relationship with Australia. We have incredibly strong people to people links- with nearly 10% of Australians identifying as having Irish heritage. Alongside this, we benefit from a secure economic and trade relationship, and from our cooperation on global affairs across an array of fora and channels including the G20 and the OECD.
The links between my Department and the Australian Treasury is strong, benefitting from regular dialogue at senior official level. Since my appointment as Minister for Finance in November of last year, I have not yet had the opportunity for direct formal engagement with Australia's current Finance Minister, Ms. Katy Gallagher, however I look forward to meeting her in the coming period. As you know Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July this year and in my role as Chair of ECOFIN, I look forward to representing the EU at G20 finance meetings, and working closely with the Australian Finance Minister.