The Department of Foreign Affairs is to open an embassy in Singapore, in an expansion of Ireland's diplomatic and trade representation in the Asia Pacific region, a spokesman for the Department said yesterday.
The Government also plans to establish two extra consulates in the region, one in Shanghai, China, and the other in Sydney, Australia, and to "beef up" staff in the Irish Embassies in Beijing and Tokyo, the official said.
The decision follows a review of Ireland's under-representation in the region carried out by an interdepartmental Asia strategy group set up by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, after a visit to China last year, and chaired by the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney. The planned staff increases in Beijing and Tokyo, which will consist initially of an Enterprise Ireland staff member at each mission, will still leave Ireland lagging far behind comparable European economies in the devotion of resources to the region, which produces 25 per cent of the world's gross national product.
For example, with only three full-time diplomats, the Beijing Embassy is being run by a virtual skeleton staff compared to embassies for countries such as Austria, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland, which average 10 or more diplomats and trade attaches in the Chinese capital.
Mr Michael Garvey, formerly based in Tokyo, has already moved to Beijing to head the Enterprise Ireland operation in China, and the Government intends to develop the Ireland House concept in Beijing.
Singapore was selected for a new embassy in consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as an important regional economic centre and a world leader in technology developments in the information industry. Until now Singapore has been serviced by the Irish Embassy in India, and the new ambassador is expected to be in place in the autumn.
Ireland already has embassies in Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Canberra and Tokyo.
The opening of an Irish Consulate in Shanghai ends a situation where Ireland was virtually the only EU country not to have a consulate in one of Asia's fastest-growing cities.