Irish Embassies Close To Cut Costs

It has been announced that Ireland will close some of its embassies in a bid to save the State money.

Irish Embassy offices at the Vatican, Iran and a representative office at Timor Leste will close their doors.

Speaking about the closures Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said the move came with "greatest regret and reluctance."

In a statement Mr Gilmore said:"In order to meet its targets under the EU/IMF programme and to restore public expenditure to sustainable levels, the Government has been obliged to implement cuts across a wide range of public services.

"No area of Government expenditure can be immune from the need to implement savings."

According to Gilmore the decision follows a review of overseas missions carried out by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which gave particular attention to the economic return from bilateral missions.

"While the Embassy to the Holy See is one of Ireland’s oldest missions, it yields no economic return. The Government believes that Ireland’s interests with the Holy See can be sufficiently represented by a non-resident Ambassador," said Mr Gilmore.

Meanwhile Ireland has had an Embassy in Teheran since 1976 but the same statement said a reduction in trade volumes and in light of the current pressures on public finances, the Government has decided to close this mission and to seek Iran’s agreement to a non-resident accreditation.

Elsewhere the embassy in Timor Leste has made substantial progress but the Irish Government feel while the aid programme in that country will continue, it is no longer necessary to maintain a resident office in Dili.

"Our Ambassador in Singapore will continue to be accredited to Timor Leste," said Mr Gilmore.

(LB)