Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:335. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of engagement between her Department and Government of Bahrain in 2025 and to-date in 2026, in tabular form. [28007/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 21 April 2026
Ceisteanna (335)
Freagraí scríofa
Ireland has enjoyed strong and positive bilateral relations with Bahrain for over 50 years.
Ireland and the EU have stood in solidarity and support with Bahrain and with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners during the current crisis, as they faced unacceptable and unprovoked Iranian attacks.
Amidst the ongoing regional conflict, I spoke with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister by phone, to express our solidarity with Bahrain in the face of Iran’s unacceptable attacks.
I also participated in an extraordinary meeting of EU and GCC Foreign Ministers on 5 March 2026, and joined EU and GCC Foreign Ministers in underscoring the strength of the EU-GCC partnership and the EU’s solidarity with the GCC during the current crisis.
At a bilateral level, my officials in our Embassy in Riyadh, which is accredited to Bahrain, regularly engage with their Bahraini counterparts. This has included a multi-day visit to Bahrain in October 2025, and a meeting, alongside EU Member States, with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister in December 2025. My officials in Dublin also continue to engage with Bahrain’s Embassy to Ireland.
As an EU Member State, Ireland is active in its support for strengthening the EU’s ties with the GCC countries, including Bahrain, in a wide range of policy areas. EU-GCC engagements at political level include the EU-GCC Summit and the EU-GCC Joint Council and Ministerial meeting. At official level, there is also a variety of EU-GCC fora.
EU-Bahrain cooperation, engagement, and understanding is also strengthened through the EU-Bahrain Human Rights Dialogue, which most recently took place in February 2026. Ireland also attended the Third EU-Bahrain Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) in October 2025 in Brussels.
Ireland continues to engage with the European Commission and other EU Member States on the possibility of Strategic Partnership Agreements (SPAs) with GCC countries, including Bahrain. The agreement of SPAs would facilitate stronger ties with GCC countries.
Ireland's Permanent Mission to the United Nations has also engaged with Bahrain in the lead up to its tenure as an elected UNSC Member.
I will continue to develop our relations with Bahrain at a bilateral and EU level.