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Initial expansion of Diplomatic and Consular Network to include 6 new Missions in first step towards doubling Ireland’s Global Footprint

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney TD, has confirmed that the Government has decided to open an Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand. The opening was announced in New Zealand today by President Michael D. Higgins, on the occasion of his State Visit.

The new Embassy in New Zealand brings to 6 the number of new Missions (Embassies or Consulates) announced by the Government in recent weeks. The new Missions announced on Budget Day are an Embassy in Santiago, Chile; an Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia; an Embassy in Amman, Jordan; a Consulate General in Vancouver, Canada; and a Consulate General in Mumbai, India.

Commenting on the announcement of the new Embassy in New Zealand, Minister Coveney said:

“I’m delighted that President Higgins was able to announce this Government decision in New Zealand today. This is an important day for relations between our two countries. We are rivals on the rugby field but great friends off it – and that will be true to an even greater extent after today.

“There are almost 14,000 Irish born people in New Zealand and one in six New Zealanders claim Irish heritage. There are also significant trade opportunities, including in agri-technology and services, and opportunities to increase tourism - over 32,000 New Zealanders visit Ireland every year and there is scope for that to grow.”

Commenting on the new Mission package, including the openings announced on Budget Day, Minister Coveney said:

“These new Missions are an integral part of the Government’s response to Brexit, which highlights the need for Ireland to be ambitious in seeking out trade opportunities in new markets. I want us to enhance Ireland’s visibility globally, extending our influence and positioning ourselves for growth in new and existing markets. Five of the new Missions are in countries that either already have, or are likely to have, Free Trade Agreements with the EU. And Missions on the ground help Irish companies to take advantage of these new opportunities.

“We will also better serve the Irish diaspora in regions where Ireland has not been present. A new Embassy in Jordan will position Ireland to contribute more effectively to efforts to promote the Middle East Peace Process, as well as underpinning Ireland’s ongoing humanitarian response in the region.

“This announcement demonstrates our Government’s commitment to act quickly to realise our ambition to double Ireland’s global footprint by 2025.”


Notes to Editors:

The new missions are: Embassy in Santiago, Chile; Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia; Embassy in Amman, Jordan; Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand; Consulate General in Vancouver, Canada; Consulate General in Mumbai, India

Five of the proposed new Missions are in countries that either already have, or are likely in the short to medium term to have, Free Trade Agreements with the EU. For example, the new Consulate in Vancouver will contribute significantly to growing inward investment from Canada, against the favourable backdrop of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement, and a deeper foothold in Latin America will enable Ireland capitalise on existing trade agreements with both Colombia and Chile. A new Consulate in Mumbai, India will promote Ireland’s trade and investment interests in the commercial capital of the world’s second most populous and fastest growing economy.

Ireland and New Zealand are “like-minded” on many multilateral issues and our positions on issues such as UN peacekeeping, disarmament and climate change regularly align. New Zealand, like Ireland, is strongly committed to a rules-based international trading system and it has valuable insights into developing economic relations in the Asia-Pacific region, including with China.

The decision to open a new Embassy in Jordan reflects not only the excellent bilateral relations Ireland enjoys with Jordan, but also the importance Ireland attaches to the promotion of peace and security in the region, including through the Middle East Peace Process. This will also facilitate effective oversight of our humanitarian assistance to the region, which came to €25 million in 2016.