Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
232. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Irish embassies and or consulate general offices overseas that requested additional funding from her Department in 2025; the reasons the funding request was sought; and if each request was approved or refused by location, in tabular form. [45742/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget setting for each Diplomatic mission is a deliberative process. Budgets are set in partnership with missions with input from key HQ stakeholders in Business Units dealing with policy or operations. The process is not designed as one where bids are made and an approval or refusal follows. The Department asks for inputs from Diplomatic Missions in relation to local circumstances and budgetary pressures. This data is then merged with other sources of data in HQ to arrive at a reasonable overall budget for the Mission within the constraints of the agreed Departmental Budget. There is a formal mid-year review where that process of budgetary review is enhanced, with a view to ensuring well before the end of the budgetary year that all Diplomatic Missions have the necessary budgets to fulfil their remit and, where necessary, resources are redistributed as required. In 2025, for instance, the start of year total budget for all diplomatic Missions was €145.68m; following the mid-year review 2025 this figure increased to €146.66m (an increased allocation of €0.98m).
