Diplomatic Representation
Dail Éireann — 2026-10-01
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Thomas Byrne (FF), Meath East

I thank Deputy Ward. I am sure the Minister and the Government will take this matter very much into account.
The very fact we opened up new missions in the region in the past year in particular means we are now less thinly spread. Before our embassy was opened in Serbia, which was relatively recently, Montenegro was covered from Budapest, along with other countries, including Serbia. Now the staff of the embassy in Budapest have more time and can also focus on Kosovo, where they are still accredited, while the embassy in Belgrade can focus on Serbia and Montenegro. We are less thinly spread and have more resources in the region. This has been noticed. It gives us a chance to have a deep connection. Deputy Ward mentioned our ambassador in Greece with regard to Albania. It is easier to do this if there is only one country attached to another. It is relatively common that we have countries attached to particular embassies. We do not have a diplomat in every mission.
Without prejudging any Government decision on this, it is the case that we have an embassy in every EU member state. Our diplomats do extraordinary work. They provide extraordinary value for money. They do diplomatic work, consular work, political work and trade work. They help to promote Irish business and trade and, therefore, help to create jobs here. They do incredible work. We have one in every EU member state and if we go with this logic, I would have said that it is likely the Government will make a decision, certainly at the very latest when some of these applicant countries become member states of the European Union. All of this is, of course, under constant review by the Government and we certainly appreciate the need for it and the advantages that it brings.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-10-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:01:00+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-10-01