AMBITIOUS plans to open Ireland Houses in London, Tokyo and New York are “on track” and will be discussed at a meeting of government leaders taking place today.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin will both address the Global Ireland Summit which is taking place in Dublin Castle.
The annual gathering brings together leaders from across government, the public service, business, state agencies, culture and the community and civil society sectors, together with Ireland’s international diplomatic network and wider stakeholders from locations around the world.
For 2023 the summit will explore progress and opportunities under Global Ireland, the Government’s strategy to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint by 2025.
The Tánaiste, who is Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, will host the event and deliver the keynote address.
The Taoiseach, who will also address the event, said the Global Ireland Strategy, which was first founded in 2018, was vital to increase Ireland’s capacity to increase its global presence.
“Our Global Ireland Strategy shows an Ireland that is engaged and active in the world,” he said.
“Looking back to 2018 and the launch of the Global Ireland strategy, it was evident that to achieve what we wanted to in the world, we needed to take a generational leap forward in the scale and depth of Ireland’s global presence, engagement, and capacity to influence world affairs,” he added.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will address today's event“In the period since, we have seen an unprecedented expansion in new embassies, consulates and agency offices and staff around the world; increased our international development budget; and we have been elected to the UN Security Council and served with distinction.
“We have instituted a strong Team-Ireland collaborative approach all around the world and have developed tailored strategies for its different regions.”
Ireland’s current Global Ireland Strategy, announced in 2018, includes the opening or announcement of 22 new embassies or consulates around the world.
Some 19 new missions have been opened since 2018 - including 10 embassies and nine consulates – with three new missions announced.
The Government plans to open an Irish embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Munich and Milan.
Further plans will see three new Ireland Houses developed and opened in London, Tokyo and New York by 2025.
They will add to the 20 Ireland Houses, where the Irish Embassy and state agencies are co-located, that already exist around the globe.
The new London location will replace the current Irish Embassy, which has been located at Grosvenor Place for the past 75 years.
The site, which will be located in central London, will also house the Irish Passport Office, which is currently located on Cromwell Road, as well as the government agencies Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.
In a statement made today, ahead of the opening of the Global Ireland Summit, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed a “recent review of the Global Ireland Strategy 2018 – 2025 confirmed that delivery of the strategy is on target”.
Speakers at today’ event will include the Taosieach, the Minister for Environment, Climate, Comminications and Transport, Eamon Ryan and the European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly.
"The Summit is the highlight of a four-day series of events and engagements which began yesterday with the Department’s annual Heads of Mission conference," the DFA confirms.
"The event concludes on Thursday, October 26, with the Global Schools programme, which which will see heads of mission and peacekeepers from the Irish Defence Forces visiting secondary schools across Ireland to discuss their work," they add.
