Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Annual

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DFAT Year in Review 2015

The following is a copy of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Annual Report for 2015 which is available to view with interactive elements at https://www.dfa.ie/annualreport/2015/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Year in Review 2015 - Introduction

Forewords from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan T.D. and Secretary General Niall Burgess.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

INTRODUCTION

Foreword by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan T.D.

[Video]

As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this review of my Department's activities in 2015.

In January, we launched The Global Island, a forward-looking foreign policy review, setting out our vision for Ireland's place in the world, across five priority areas: Our People, Our Values, Our Prosperity, Our Place in Europe, and Our Influence.

With sights firmly set on the future, we worked to deliver the Fresh Start Agreement in Northern Ireland, further consolidating hard won peace for the island of Ireland.

We launched a new Passport Card for Irish citizens as part of our ongoing citizen-centred innovation agenda. In the Department’s Dublin headquarters and in or Missions around the world, we continued our consular work, responding to crises and incidents in places ranging from Berkeley and Tunisia to Nepal and Paris as well as responding to over 1500 serious individual cases.

We celebrated 60 years of Ireland's membership of the UN, welcoming Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and former Secretary General Kofi Annan to Iveagh House.

We joined with our EU partners in responding to new migration challenges, with our Embassies supporting the work of the Naval Service in the Mediterranean, and through Irish-Aid led financial support.

Our Embassies and Consulates abroad continued to support the expansion of Irish business overseas, providing guidance, opening doors and bringing key stakeholders together.

I invite you all to explore the significant events and achievements of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2015 and to follow us online at www.dfa.ie and via Twitter @dfatirl .

I thank all the staff of the Department for their hard work and public service.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

INTRODUCTION

Introduction by Secretary General Niall Burgess

[Video]

My name is Niall Burgess and I am the Secretary General at Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Our work is broad and varied but our primary role is to support Government in meeting the needs of Irish citizens, at home and abroad.

We provide consular, passport and emigrant support services to Irish citizens travelling or living overseas.

We advance our economic interests and promote our values internationally. For example, we are working with a range of international partners to end poverty and hunger at global level.

And we’re working with the United Nations and others to address humanitarian crises and lay the foundations for peace and security in some of the worlds most troubled places.

At home we contribute to the ongoing work of deepening reconciliation here on the island of Ireland.

I am proud of the women and men at all levels in the Irish Foreign Service - including the local staff in our network of missions abroad - who work hard in pursuit of these objectives.

In this review of our activities for 2015, we aim to present our work in as clear and accessible a way as possible.

So please take this opportunity to find out more about what we do on your behalf. We also want to hear your views on how we might improve on the public services that we offer.

We are honoured to represent Ireland's citizens and support our country abroad. On behalf of all my colleagues, we thank you for your trust and your support.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Year in Review 2015 - Our People

Serving our people at home and abroad and promoting reconciliation and cooperation is one of the high level goals of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in our Statement of Strategy 2015-2017, and part of our overall mission statement as a Government Department. - Sustained peace, enhanced reconciliation and political progress in Northern Ireland; - Increased North-South and British-Irish cooperation; - Effective delivery of passport and consular services for our citizens; - Deepened engagement with our diaspora and support for our emigrants; and - Promotion of our culture, arts and creative industries through the Embassy network. The stories below are examples of our delivery of this goal in 2015.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

Fresh Start Agreement

Building on the Stormont House Agreement of December 2014, Fresh Start constituted another significant step towards consolidating hard won peace for the island of Ireland which was achieved with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. The Fresh Start Agreement provides a credible roadmap for implementation of many aspects of the Stormont House Agreement (including those on parading and flags) and supports the ongoing stability of the devolved power-sharing institutions so that they can deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. Fresh Start contains a plan for ending paramilitarism and tackling organised crime, including through the establishment of an international body to report on the achievement of progress towards ending continuing paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland. It also establishes a Joint Agency Task Force to identify strategic priorities for combatting cross-border organised crime and to oversee operational co-ordination. As part of the Fresh Start Agreement, the Irish Government made a number of additional commitments to funding for important infrastructure projects, such as the A5 road project, as well as for investment in the North West Region, so as to support economic development that creates jobs and prosperity for all citizens. While it did not prove possible during the negotiations to resolve all of the key issues on the establishment of a new comprehensive institutional framework for dealing with the legacy of the past, as provided for in the Stormont House Agreement, important progress was made. The two Governments undertook to reflect further on the remaining open issues and on how these could be advanced, while keeping the needs of victims and survivors central to such work. The Governments also reiterated their determination to achieve an agreed basis for the establishment of the institutions dealing with the past to bring whatever healing is possible both for individual victims and survivors and society as a whole.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

May: Visit to Ireland by Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall

The first joint visit to Ireland by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in May 2015 celebrated the depth and warmth of Irish-British relations The visit followed on those by Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland in 2011 and by President Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom in 2014. Focusing on themes of peace and reconciliation, the programme for the visit included engagements at the National University of Ireland Galway, the Marine Institute, Slieve Carran farmland in the Burren region, Galway’s Druid Theatre, the Model / Niland Gallery and Institute of Technology, Sligo, as well as at Lissadell House and Sligo Racecourse. A service for peace and reconciliation at St Columba’s Church, Drumcliffe, and a visit to Mullaghmore village in Co. Sligo also formed part of the visit programme. The visit generated high levels of media interest which added to the international profile of the west of Ireland, in particular the Wild Atlantic Way, and celebrations of Irish cultural heritage, notably the 150th anniversary of the birth of W.B. Yeats.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

June: Responding to the Berkeley Tragedy On 16 June 2015, the sudden collapse of a balcony at an apartment complex in Berkeley, California triggered the most significant consular emergency response the Department has led since the Asian Tsunami of 2004. Six young Irish people died that night and seven others were seriously injured.

Ireland’s Consul General in San Francisco, Philip Grant, was alerted to the incident as soon as the Berkeley first responders realised that those affected were Irish J1 students. With around 1,000 Irish J1 students in Berkeley and San Francisco each summer, the pool of families potentially affected was wide and the exceptionally high levels of concern in Ireland reflected this. Within an hour, the Department’s Crisis Centre in Dublin was fully staffed and operational. As calls from the public were soon being received at a rate of several hundred per hour, the Crisis Centre remained open round- the-clock for the next 72 hours as staff worked with concerned families to establish the whereabouts and wellbeing of their loved ones and provide assistance to those who were directly affected. In San Francisco, the Consulate team provided practical support to the families of the Irish students who lost their lives, guiding them through the process of bringing their loved ones home, and assisted the injured students and their families as they recovered. The Consulate and the Irish Immigration Pastoral Centre also together led the response of the Irish community in the Bay Area which rallied to the aid of the many hundreds of other Irish J1 students who needed care and support so far from home. In December 2015, Consul General Grant and the Irish Immigration Pastoral Centre’s Fr. Brendan McBride received the International People of the Year Award. They accepted this honour on behalf of Consulate and Department staff and the many hundreds of San Francisco area Irish community volunteers that gave so much to assisting our J1 students and their families, demonstrating the very best of the Irish Diaspora spirit.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

Remembering Ireland’s Dead at Gallipoli “ … Today, we pay our respect to the memory of all those men whose potential and promise were lost in Gallipoli a century ago.” President Michael D. Higgins, Speech for the Irish Community in Turkey - Istanbul, 23 April 2015

In April 2015, President Michael D. Higgins, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan T.D. and supported by the Irish Embassy in Ankara, travelled to Turkey to attend commemorative events marking the centenary of first landing of Allied troops on the Gallipoli peninsula during the First World War. The Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Royal Munster Fusiliers, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and the 10th (Irish) Division were among the units of the British Army that fought at Gallipoli. While not all soldiers in these units were Irish, it is estimated that at least 3,500 men from across the island of Ireland were amongst those who lost their lives and that several thousand other Irish men were wounded during the campaign. The Gallipoli landings and the associated battles were commemorated by six ceremonies, including one at Cape Helles on 24th April held to remember the participation of troops from Ireland and from Commonwealth countries. Alongside the President of Turkey, members of the British Royal Family and other international representatives, President Higgins laid a wreath in memory of all those who died during the Gallipoli Campaign. The full text of President Higgins’ speech to the Irish Community in Turkey on 23 April 2015 is available at http://www.president.ie/en/media-library/speeches/speech-at-a-reception-for-the-irish-community-in-turkey

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE Global Irish Civic Forum The first ever Global Irish Civic Forum took place in Dublin Castle in June 2015. Hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan T.D., and Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan T.D., the Global Civic Forum brought together more than 200 delegates from over 140 organisations across 17 countries to discuss and share ideas on working with the Irish diaspora.

The organisations involved provide welfare and support to vulnerable emigrants abroad, groups who promote Irish culture and heritage and Irish-focused business networks that campaign on behalf of Irish emigrants. Specific topics for discussion included the challenges facing new Irish emigrants, best ways in which to reach out to members of the Irish diaspora and how to support the mental well-being of our diaspora. Participants also discussed challenges faced by returning Irish emigrants. Workshops on governance, fundraising and communications were also held to encourage greater peer-to-peer learning between organisations. Many of the groups represented were recipients of funding under the Emigrant Support Programme. In 2015, funding of €11.55 million was provided under this Programme to organisations and projects that support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The organisations funded under the Programme ranged from those providing frontline welfare, information and advisory services to vulnerable Irish emigrants to those engaged in community and heritage projects that strengthen links between Irish communities overseas and home and enable the Irish abroad to express and promote their cultural identity. The Programme also supported projects aimed at creating practical results-orientated links between Ireland and the global Irish, and projects that emerged as a consequence of the Global Irish Economic Forum. It also supported a number of Irish Business networks abroad which are valuable for Irish business people and professionals wishing to seek opportunities that can provide trade and investment potential for Ireland.

Full details of organisations funded under the Emigrant Support Programme in 2015 are available at https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ourrolesandpolicies/theirishabroad/2015-Emigrant-Support- Programme-Funding.pdf .

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

March: Global Irish - Ireland's Diaspora Policy

In March 2015, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D., the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D., Tánaiste Joan Burton T.D. and Minister of State for Diaspora Affairs Jimmy Deenihan T.D. launched “Global Irish: Ireland’s Diaspora Policy”.

Global Irish is a comprehensive and updated statement of Irish Government policy on the relationship with our diaspora. The policy provides a basis for new ways of engaging with the Irish abroad and serves to strengthen ties and connectedness.

The policy also sets out a of number of new initiatives, such as a Global Irish Media Fund to support media coverage of the diaspora and emigration experience, a Global Irish Summer Camp and a Global Irish Alumni Challenge Fund to provide funding support to Irish institutions targeting their graduates working internationally.

A new Global Irish website - www.dfa.ie/global-irish - was also launched. The website contains a wealth of practical information for the diaspora on support services, living abroad, staying in touch and returning home to Ireland.

Implementation of Global Irish is being led by an Interdepartmental Committee on the Diaspora in which the Department’s Irish Abroad Unit, Ireland’s network of Embassies and Consulates and other relevant Government Departments and State Agencies are all represented.

In 2015, implementation of the Diaspora Policy resulted in a number of key achievements which included:

● The first Global Irish Civic Forum in Ireland in June; ● The first Global Irish Parliamentary Forum in September; ● The Fourth Global Irish Economic Forum in November; ● Launch of the first Global Irish Media Fund in December

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

October: Launch of the Irish Passport Card

In October 2015, Ireland became one of the first countries in the world to launch a Passport Card

The Passport Card allows Irish citizens to travel to 31 countries, including European Union member states, the European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland, without needing to carry their passport book. It can be applied for online, or through a dedicated app, allowing Irish citizens to apply directly from their mobile device.

Designed to fit in a standard wallet or purse, the Passport Card is convenient and secure to carry when travelling. It is particularly valuable for frequent or long-haul travellers, as it facilitates travel within Europe while their passports may be held by foreign embassies for visa processing purposes.

The card can also be used as an identity document or for age verification, both at home and abroad, avoiding the need for Irish citizens to carry a passport book with them and risk the inconvenience and expense of it being lost or stolen.

Over 13,000 people applied for the Passport Card in the last three months of 2015. The project underlines the commitment of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to expanding the provision of public services through online and mobile media.

The design and development of the Card, which includes the first use of embedded hologram photographs on a travel document, involved several of Ireland’s leading technology and secure printing companies and puts Ireland at the forefront of innovation in this field.

More information, including how to apply for a card, can be found at: www.dfa.ie/passportcard

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PEOPLE

Celebrating Yeats 150

“There is no truth saving in thine own heart…for words alone are certain good” The Song of the Happy Shepherd, W.B. Yeats

2015 was the 150th anniversary of the birthday of William Butler Yeats, one of Ireland’s best-known and internationally-acclaimed poets. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade supported a programme of activities around the world designed to mark the occasion as celebrations were also taking place across Ireland.

Through our network of 80 Embassies and Consulates, we worked closely with overseas partners to organise and facilitate over 100 international events that celebrated the range and depth of Yeats’ work and brought Yeats’ legacy to the attention of audiences new and old across the globe. These events included readings and musical performances, exhibitions, lectures, international academic conferences and symposia, the publication of new translations of Yeats’ poetry, and prominent poetry displays on the London and Shanghai underground transport networks.

The Department’s travelling exhibition “The Life and Works of WB Yeats”, based on an exhibition curated by the National Library of Ireland, was particularly popular. It was translated into 11 languages and displayed across five continents during 2015, with audiences from Mexico to Manila. The programme culminated in December’s worldwide recitation of ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’, in which Minister Flanagan also participated. A full report of the activities organised is available on our website [https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ourrolesandpolicies/tradeandpromotion/Yeats-2015_-- Report.pdf ].

The programme of events and activities attracted extensive coverage in overseas media over the course of the year, reinforced through interviews with visiting Irish Ministers and local Irish Ambassadors. The initiative found a particular resonance on social media, with Ireland’s Ambassador to Great Britain, Dan Mulhall, tweeting a Yeats quote every day in 2015 using the #yeats150 hashtag. The Department’s efforts helped the overall Yeats 150 project team win the 2016 Ireland e-Government Award for Social Media thanks to the broad reach of the campaign.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Year in Review 2015 - Our Values

Working for a fairer, more just, secure and sustainable world is one of the high level goals of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in our Statement of Strategy 2015-2017 and part of our overall mission statement as a Government Department.

This involves:

- Making progress towards the eradication of poverty and hunger and promoting inclusive economic growth; - Promoting and protecting human rights internationally; - Supporting a stable and secure rules-based international environment; and - Working to achieve a new framework for sustainable development that addresses climate change, food security and related issues.

The stories below are examples of our delivery of this goal in 2015.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR VALUES

Marking 60 Years of Ireland's UN membership

In 2015, we marked 60 years of Ireland's UN membership and celebrated our country's role as a small but powerful voice for democracy, equality, peace, security and development.

Since our earliest days at the UN, Ireland has pursued a series of policy priorities which remain central to our foreign policy today. These include peacekeeping, non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament, developing assistance, promoting peace and security, and advancing gender equality around the world. In 2015, over 370 Irish peacekeeping troops served across seven different UN missions around the world.

The UN60 anniversary programme provided an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and promote debate on the range of contributions that Ireland makes to the work of the United Nations. The programme was launched by Minister Flanagan in May with an Iveagh House Lecture delivered in Dublin Castle by the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

"Ireland shows the ability of small states to make a big difference." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, delivering the Iveagh House Lecture

UN Secretary-General since 2007, Mr. Ban had travelled to Ireland to accept the Tipperary International Peace Award, recognising his contribution to global peace. Other elements of his programme included a visit to the United Nations Training School Ireland (UNTSI) at the Curragh, Co. Kildare, and a meeting with serving Irish peacekeepers, an event for resettled refugees and members of the Syrian community in Ireland and discussions with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Joan Burton.

Secretary-General Ban also participated in a 'Youth and the Sustainable Development Goals' event at Iveagh House that highlighted Ireland’s role as a co-facilitator of negotiations on a set of targets to define the global sustainable development agenda for the next 15 years.

Another key UN60 event was the Irish Humanitarian Summit in July, which brought together more than 230 senior leaders from Ireland's humanitarian community to discuss our responses to global crises. The Department also sponsored Ireland's first UN Youth Delegate Programme, selecting two young Irish people to join Ireland's official delegation to the UN General Assembly in September, and engaged with second-level students on UN issues through the launch of a Classroom Map illustrating Ireland's participation at the UN.

Other notable events included a high level symposium on the UN’s past achievements and future challenges at which former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, UN Special Representative for International Migration Peter Sutherland, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan were among the participants. An exhibition of photographs and texts from Ireland's first years at the UN was developed in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy and Iveagh House was illuminated in "UN blue" to celebrate UN Day on 24th October.

Full details of all events are on our UN 60 website: https://www.dfa.ie/un60/. The Iveagh House Lecture delivered in Dublin Castle by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon can be read at https://www.dfa.ie/iveagh-house- lectures/un-secretary-general's-iveagh-house-lecture/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR VALUES

July: Irish Humanitarian Summit

The Department’s Development Cooperation Division staged the first ever Irish Humanitarian Summit in Dublin on 2 July 2015. This Summit brought together different stakeholders involved in humanitarian action from Ireland to examine how we can better respond to the increasing number of complex emergencies globally and how we can ensure that our humanitarian assistance is as effective and collective as it can be. President Michael D. Higgins opened the Summit and spoke about the growing demand for humanitarian support worldwide as a result of natural disaster and conflict, with over 125 million people in need of urgent assistance. He called for greater humanity and attention to the dignity and rights of people and communities affected by humanitarian crises. The Summit was also addressed by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan T.D. and Minister of State for Development Cooperation Seán Sherlock T.D. and attended by two hundred and thirty senior representatives from the Irish Government, non-governmental organisations, academia, the private sector and the diaspora. The core message from the Irish Humanitarian Summit was that the people affected by natural disasters and conflict should be at the centre of all humanitarian responses. Humanitarian action must assist people who are affected by crises to shape their own survival and recovery and responses should be locally-led where possible. The Irish humanitarian community also reaffirmed its continued commitment to humanitarian aid that is neutral, independent, impartial and based on need. The outcomes of the Summit included commitments to better target resources through local actors working to help affected communities, to build resilience in the face of recurrent disasters and to recognise that gender equality and the eradication of violence against women and children in emergencies must be prioritised in all humanitarian action. The recommendations and proposed actions which emerged from the Irish Humanitarian Summit subsequently informed Ireland’s contribution to the World Humanitarian Summit held in Istanbul in May 2016.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR VALUES

Responding to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

In November 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the end of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. This followed a devastating period for the country, during which 3,956 people lost their lives.

The WHO’s announcement represented a key milestone in national and international efforts to eradicate Ebola from the three countries in West Africa - Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea - that were most affected by the disease.

Through Irish Aid, the team at our Embassy in Freetown and sub-office in Monrovia, Irish NGOs, volunteers and members of the Irish Defence Forces deployed to Sierra Leone, Ireland played an active role in combatting the Ebola outbreak there.

Irish Aid’s contribution included provision of over €28.9 million to Ebola-affected countries in West Africa, directly and through NGOs, throughout the 2014-2015 period. We funded Ebola treatment facilities in Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as contact- tracing, community sensitization and ambulance fleet management initiatives.

In Sierra Leone, where teenage pregnancies increased during the Ebola outbreak, Irish Aid also helped to ensure access to appropriate healthcare and formal education for pregnant schoolgirls. We also supported nutrition interventions to mitigate the effects of Ebola on the most vulnerable households. In Liberia, we worked with the national Government to develop a more robust, effective and accountable health system.

Rapid response systems have since been put in place in Sierra Leone and Liberia to help contain any further Ebola outbreaks and reduce the risk of future epidemics. Both countries have still a long road to travel in recovering from the devastating effects of Ebola and in securing necessary economic and social development for their people. Irish Aid will continue to support Sierra Leone and Liberia on this journey, with assistance to the most vulnerable as our priority.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR VALUES

September: UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2014, the President of the UN General Assembly appointed Ireland’s UN Ambassador in New York, David Donoghue, and his Kenyan counterpart Machiara Kamau, to lead negotiations between world governments on a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to follow the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were due to expire at the end of 2015.

The aim was to deliver an ambitious plan that would complete the work of the MDGs on poverty eradication but also address environmental degradation and climate change, and build a more peaceful, fair and sustainable world.

Throughout 2015, Ireland and Kenya brought together all UN member states, representatives of civil society, the private sector and others to reach agreement on this new development agenda. In a historic moment on 2nd August, Ambassador Donoghue and Ambassador Kamau informed a gathering of all UN Member States that agreement had been reached and presented the final text: “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Formally adopted by leaders of the world’s 193 countries at a special UN Summit held in September, the agreement consists of 17 SDGs, backed up by 169 specific targets over a wide range of areas that continue efforts to eliminate poverty while also addressing challenges in areas as diverse as energy, food, water, climate, peace, governance, jobs and urbanization. An Taoiseach Enda Kenny led Ireland’s delegation on the opening day of the Summit and President Higgins and Minister of State for Development Cooperation Sean Sherlock T.D. also participated.

The 17 SDGs are universally applicable – meaning they apply to both developed and developing countries - and are as relevant to Ireland as any other country.

Ireland’s Role

Ireland’s appointment to the co-facilitator role was a huge honour for our country and a great responsibility. It was testament to Ireland’s standing internationally and particularly to the excellent reputation of our overseas aid programme, Irish Aid, our proud record of promoting human rights and our long-standing participation in UN peacekeeping across the world.

The ultimate success of Ireland’s role was especially significant as 2015 marked both the 70th anniversary of the United Nations and the 60th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the organisation.

Further information on the SDGs is available at https://www.irishaid.ie/what-we-do/post-2015-negotiations/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR VALUES

Ireland’s Membership of the Human Rights Council (2013-2015)

2015 saw the conclusion of Ireland’s first term of membership of the Human Rights Council, the UN body entrusted with a mandate to strengthen promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and to address human rights violations.

Ireland used our term on the Council to highlight such issues as freedom of religion or belief, the role of human rights defenders, rights of the child, the death penalty, gender equality and the rights of LGBTI persons. We participated in debates on human rights situations of concern around the world, including the occupied Palestinian territories, Syria, Yemen, Libya, DPRK, Myanmar, Burundi, Sudan and South Sudan. As Council members, we also responded to the human rights implications raised by new challenges emerging in the areas of climate change, business and human rights, violent extremism and internet freedom, and sought to defend the integrity and independence of the UN Human Rights Office.

Our diplomats in Geneva also stepped up our engagement with the Universal Periodic Review, a peer review mechanism for the human rights situations in all UN member states. Ireland participated in reviews of the human rights situation in 119 countries and made 240 recommendations, almost 70% of which were accepted. We particularly focused on the rights of women and children during our interventions.

Ireland led the drafting and negotiating of Human Rights Council resolutions that underlined the importance of free speech and free association and called on States to create and maintain safe spaces for civil society groups representing the public to act.

We also led the drafting and negotiating of Council resolutions that focused on why and how States should take a human rights-based approach to the issue of child mortality and illness.

For more information on Ireland and the UN Human Rights Council, please visit: https://www.dfa.ie/our-role- policies/international-priorities/human-rights/ireland-and-the-human-rights-council/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR VALUES

January: Launch of Ireland’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

In January, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan T.D. launched Ireland’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which will run from 2015 to 2018.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on Women, Peace and Security was adopted in October 2000. It was a landmark resolution which highlighted the negative impact of conflict on women and girls, and the importance of women’s participation in leadership and decision-making in conflict and post-conflict situations. Six further United Nations Security Council resolutions on related themes have also since been adopted.

Developed following an extensive public consultation process, Ireland’s Second National Action Plan in this area renews the Government’s commitment to the UN’s Women, Peace and Security agenda. It also sets out how Ireland will continue to promote and implement the objectives of the agenda in programme activities, diplomatic advocacy and policy-making by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána, the Health Services Executive, and Tusla (the Child and Family agency). The Action Plan’s inclusion of both domestic and overseas actions, as well as the high level of involvement by civil society in its development and ongoing monitoring, have been recognised internationally as good practice.

Implementation of the Action Plan is being taken forward under the supervision of an Oversight Group which is responsible for ongoing monitoring and promotion of the Women, Peace and Security agenda by Ireland. The Group’s independent Chair is former Minister for Justice Ms. Nora Owen and its membership is equally balanced between academic, civil society and independent experts, and representatives of the statutory implementing bodies.

More information about Ireland’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security is available at https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ourrolesandpolicies/ourwork/empoweringwomen- peaceandsecurity/Irelands-second-National-Action-Plan-on-Women-Peace-and-Security.pdf

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Year in Review 2015 - Our Prosperity

Advancing Ireland’s prosperity by promoting our economic interests internationally is one of the high level goals of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in our Statement of Strategy 2015-2017, and part of our overall mission statement as a Government Department.

This involves:

- Contributing to the creation of jobs and export opportunities; - Encouraging inward investment, tourism and education in Ireland; and - Developing strong bilateral relations to promote our economic interests abroad.

The stories below are examples of our delivery of this goal in 2015.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PROSPERITY

May: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Ireland

Premier Li Keqiang, the second most senior figure in China’s Government, visited Ireland for the first time in May 2015. He was accompanied by his wife, Professor Cheng, as well as a 119-strong delegation, that included eight senior Chinese Government Ministers as well as officials and Chinese media.

The visit by Premier Li followed on from the State Visit to China by President Higgins in December 2014 and focused strongly on trade and agriculture. The economic relationship between Ireland and China is an increasingly valuable one for both countries: 92 Irish companies employ over 10,000 people in China and total bilateral trade in 2014 amounted to almost €8 billion. In 2015, Irish food and drink exports to China amounted to €654 million, an increase of 26% on 2014.

The Taoiseach and Premier Li visited a farm in County Mayo, run by the Garvey family, to give the Premier first- hand experience of Ireland’s high-quality agri-food sector and to help promote Ireland as an environmentally friendly tourism destination. The farm visit also included traditional Irish music and dance, reflecting the strong interest in Irish culture in China.

The Taoiseach and a delegation of Irish Government Ministers subsequently held a bilateral meeting with Premier Li and the Chinese Ministerial delegation at Ashford Castle. Opportunities for increasing trade between Ireland and China were explored and issues relating to human rights, the UN and climate change were also discussed.

The visit also saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in agricultural matters, ensuring that Ireland can continue to build on and expand its relationship with a priority trading partner. A diplomatic visa waiver agreement to facilitate increased official exchanges between Ireland and China was also concluded.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PROSPERITY

September: Visit by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

Ireland was honoured to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on 23 September 2015, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister since that of Jawalarlal Nehru in 1956.

Despite the geographic distance between us, the histories of Ireland and India are entwined. Strong links previously existed between the Independence movements in both countries and people to people links likewise remain strong to this day. The Indian community makes an enormous contribution to Irish society in areas ranging from small family businesses to the IT sector and particularly in health care across our country.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ireland’s Embassy in New Delhi have been working hard to strengthen Ireland’s trading relationship with India, which is one of the world’s fastest growing major economies. Ireland exported over €55m worth of indigenous products to India in 2015 and 40% of the commercial leased aircraft operating in India are currently owned or operated from Ireland. Also in 2015, over 25,000 Indians visited Ireland and 2,000 chose to study here at third level. There is significant potential to develop trade and tourism even further, given India’s rapidly growing middle class in an overall population of 1.2 billion.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny hosted a working lunch for PM Modi and his delegation at which the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan, Minister for Health Leo Varadkar and Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan also attended. A wide range of issues were discussed, including trade, visa policy, disarmament issues and reform of the UN Security Council.

The visit also provided a significant boost to Ireland’s visibility in India, with Prime Minister Modi having more than 20 million followers on Twitter.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PROSPERITY

March: Global Celebrations of St Patrick’s Day

St Patrick’s Day is one of the best-known national holidays globally, celebrated particularly by Irish people and friends of Ireland around the world each year. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through its network of Embassies and with the support of State Agencies such as Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland, develops an annual programme of activities and celebrations worldwide to promote trade and tourism and enhance Ireland’s reputation internationally.

In 2015, the Department and our Embassy network organised 29 trade-focused visits by Government Ministers, including the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, to 70 cities in 26 countries. We hosted or organised a total of 398 events, ranging from New York to Nairobi, including the first official St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Silicon Valley. These included 148 business events, organised jointly with State agencies, attended by almost 18,000 Irish and international company representatives.

St. Patrick's Day also provides an annual opportunity for the Taoiseach and Irish Ministers to meet with Presidents, Prime Ministers and a wide range of other key decision-makers and influencers around the world. We organised 149 such meetings for St. Patrick’s Day 2015.

Our Embassy network also supported St. Patrick's Day parades and festivals attended by over seven million people around the world. We participated in Tourism Ireland's Global Greening initiative, which turned more than 180 iconic buildings and landmarks around the world green to celebrate the occasion. Examples of first-time greenings organised by the Embassy network in 2015 include the Colosseum in Rome, Edinburgh Castle and the Equator Sign and Line in Uganda. The Global Greening initiative is estimated to have generated almost €10m in overseas publicity for Ireland.

For more information, see https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/trade-and-promotion/promoting-ireland/st-patricks- day/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PROSPERITY

2015: The Year of Irish Design

A 12-month programme of over 600 events and activities, the Year of Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) introduced over 2,000 Irish designers to an audience of over 1.4 million people around the world. The focus was on Irish design achievements in sectors ranging from animation to architecture, fashion to furniture and medical to engineering innovations.

The ID2015 programme was developed by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland and promoted internationally by the Department and Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates abroad. By organising showcase events in key design capitals, hosting networking events and trade missions, and developing relationships between designers, buyers and industry representatives around the world, we increased awareness of the value of Irish design, both as a fundamental element of our culture and as a driver of our economic growth.

In total, the Embassy and Consulate network hosted or supported more than 100 events and activities promoting ID2015 and showcasing Irish excellence and innovation in design. A special Connections exhibition capsule representing a range of Irish designers and projects also travelled to twenty four cities around the world, including Stockholm, New York, Sydney and Tokyo. Focusing on Irish 'Life and Progress' and 'Society and Culture', the exhibition also included a library presenting an overview of the history and development of Irish design.

By year's end, ID2015 saw 370 new design companies registered, 476 designers assisted to attend international design-based trade events, and over €24m in design-based exports generated, all supporting the Government's Action Plan for Jobs.

More details about the events of ID2015 can be found on the Irish Design website at www.irishdesign2015.ie.

A full report on ID2015 activities by Ireland’s Embassy and Consulate network is available at https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/our-work/casestudiesarchive/2016/january/id2015-irish-embassy-events/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PROSPERITY

November: Global Irish Economic Forum 2015

The 4th Global Irish Economic Forum (GIEF) took place in Dublin Castle on 20-21 November 2015. Four regional meetings of the Forum were held in Derry, Galway, Laois and Limerick on 19 November.

The 2015 GIEF was attended by over 350 participants drawn from the Global Irish Network of influential Irish and Irish-connected people abroad who provide Ireland with valuable international expertise, as well as other representatives from business, technology, educational, cultural and government sectors.

Through a mixture of plenary sessions, panel debates and breakout sectoral discussions, the GIEF event programme examined three themes that will help shape Ireland’s future:

● Economic Development - advancing sustainable growth over the medium and longer term; ● Re-imagining Ireland - building a legacy for our future generations; and ● Ireland’s Place in the World - how our global island responds to international challenges.

Exchanges throughout the GIEF focused on economic sectors with high growth and job creation potential, including financial services, international education, research and innovation, agri-food and the creative economy. Participants highlighted the importance of ensuring that Ireland can capitalise on opportunities in each of these sectors as they emerge.

As in previous fora, participants also suggested issues for additional follow up. These will be taken forward by relevant Government Departments and State Agencies, as well as within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Irish Abroad Unit. Several have already featured in publicly-announced Government initiatives such as Food Wise 2025 and the International Financial Services Strategy 2020.

A full report on the 2015 Global Irish Economic Forum is available at https://www.dfa.ie/media/globalirish/business/Report-GIEF-2015.pdf

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PROSPERITY

Aviation in 2015

In August 2015, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe T.D., launched Ireland's first National Aviation Policy. The aviation sector is a major sector of Ireland's economy, contributing some €4.1bn directly to GDP and supporting 26,000 jobs directly and a further 16,000 in the supply chain.

Some highlights of our work in support of the new National Aviation Policy and Ireland's aviation industry throughout 2015 were as follows:

● In May, Minister of State Sean Sherlock T.D. addressed the third annual Aviation and Aerospace Networking Dinner event at the Irish Embassy in London and undertook a day-long series of engagements with Enterprise Ireland client companies and leading aviation and aerospace companies based in the English midlands. ● In June, Minister of State Sherlock led the Irish delegation to the International Paris Air Show, supporting seven Irish companies in the aerospace and aviation supply sector. ● Also in June 2015, Ethiopian Airlines began a three times-weekly service connecting Addis Ababa, Dublin and Los Angeles. Ireland's Embassy in Addis Ababa and the Department worked closely with Ethiopian Airlines, the Ethiopian Government and relevant authorities on the Irish side to secure the new route, which is the first scheduled air service between Ireland and Africa. The conclusion of a Double Taxation Agreement and a bilateral Transport Agreement with Ethiopia were amongst the policy instruments that helped to facilitate the business. ● Recognising Ireland's leading role in aircraft leasing globally, a Department official and a senior manager from Avolon Aircraft Leasing participated in the Department's first public-private staff exchange programme during 2015. The programme has enabled the Department to gain a greater understanding of the needs of global Irish companies in the strategically important aviation sector.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Protecting and advancing Ireland’s values and interests in Europe is one of the high level goals of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in our Statement of Strategy 2015-2017, and part of our overall mission statement as a Government Department. Towards this end: - We work to maximise Ireland’s influence in shaping EU outcomes through building strong relationships with the EU institutions and other member States; and - We make a strong contribution to shaping the EU’s global engagement and peace and security in Europe. The stories below are examples of our delivery of this goal in 2015.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PLACE IN EUROPE

Migration in Europe In 2015, over 1 million people sought refuge in the European Union by crossing the seas to Italy or Greece, with an estimated 4,000 drowning in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting the journey. The number of people forced from their homes due to conflict or other related reasons across the globe stands at 60 million, the highest level since World War II. The vast majority of these people are hosted in countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon and Jordan, which struggle to provide basic services to increasing populations.

From the outset, Ireland committed to help address this crisis. We volunteered to accept up to 4,000 refugees under EU Relocation and Resettlement programmes, in addition to our existing commitments under UN programmes. These new residents began arriving in Ireland in 2015. Ireland also established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, on which the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is represented, to assist refugees in settling in their new home.

In 2015, Ireland sent three Irish Naval Service vessels - L.É. Eithne, L.É. Niamh and L.É. Samuel Beckett - to participate in a migrant rescue mission in the Mediterranean. Almost 8,600 people were rescued from drowning by the Irish Naval Service vessels in 2015. Our Embassies in the Mediterranean region provided logistical support to the Naval Service as they carried out their Search and Rescue missions.

Through Irish Aid's Rapid Response Initiative, we deployed five members of our Rapid Response Corps to support our UN partners in the humanitarian response underway in the Middle East and the Balkans. Ireland also dispatched nine tonnes of blankets for distribution to refugees in Serbia in December 2015. In addition, we supported the work of our NGO partner World Vision in Serbia and the International Rescue Committee in the Balkans.

Ireland's largest single migration-related humanitarian response during 2015 was to the Syria crisis. By the end of the year, more than 260,000 people had been killed and some 13.5 million people within Syria were in need of humanitarian assistance.

Ireland pledged to give €12 million in support to the Syria crisis and ultimately gave over €13.7m in total over the course of the year. By year end, this brought our total humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis since 2012 to over €42 million. Irish funding provided emergency support to those inside Syria, particularly in besieged and hard-to-reach areas, and those who had fled to neighbouring countries, in particular Lebanon and Jordan.

Through our engagement at EU level, Ireland also committed €22 million in November 2015 to support the EU Turkey Refugee Facility and €3 million to the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PLACE IN EUROPE

Ireland’s Permanent Representation in Brussels With over 80 staff from almost all Irish Government Departments, Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels (PRB) is the largest overseas mission run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The PRB team works to secure Ireland’s interests within the EU, engaging in ongoing complex negotiations and consultations on the development of EU legislation. This involves extensive dealings with Member States, the Commission, the European Parliament and a host of other interests.

2015 was a challenging year in Brussels on several levels. Issues that arose included the Greek fiscal crisis, mass migration and refugee arrivals into Europe, international terrorism and the continuing conflict in Syria. These and other problems challenged the resilience of the EU’s internal free movement area and the Euro currency. Also, the UK- Ireland’s closest trading partner- began talks with the EU towards the end of 2015 on the terms for its domestic referendum on whether or not to remain in the Union.

The PRB ensured that Irish positions were put forward clearly on all these issues. PRB staff also worked to ensure a robust, stable and safe EU, and a sturdy Euro currency - both being preconditions for Ireland’s continued prosperity. This work included:

● Participating in multi-party talks to secure continued financial support for Greece, achieving our aim of reinforcing the integrity of the common currency and restoring stability. ● Affirming Ireland’s acceptance of 4,000 migrant refugees as part of our humanitarian response to the migration crisis and providing skilled personnel to assist overloaded states in handling the applications process. ● On the consumer rights front, strongly supporting the Roam Like Home initiative that will end mobile phone roaming charges within the EU by mid-2017 and help achieve a fully integrated Digital Single Market in Europe. ● Securing agreement on a timetable for widening the use of the Irish language in the EU, which will see increased use of Irish and greater demand for qualified Irish translators.

Brussels in Numbers 2015

12: Meetings of EU leaders, seven of which were emergency meetings.

20: Meetings between Eurogroup finance ministers, nine of which were extra meetings dealing with Greece and the Eurozone.

11: Meetings of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ministers, six of which were emergency meetings.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PLACE IN EUROPE

EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans - 2015

The Department's Europe Division deals with the issue of EU Enlargement and has lead responsibility for the Western Balkans and Turkey.

The region has seen many transformative changes since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. These have been due, in some part at least, to the work that the current five countries with candidate status for EU membership are undertaking to join the EU. Serbia and Montenegro as well as Turkey, Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are candidate countries. Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are potential candidates for membership of the EU.

Europe Division worked closely throughout 2015 with Ireland's Permanent Representation in Brussels and our Embassies in the region. This work involved monitoring and assessing developments as the candidate countries strive to embed core European values, including human rights and other fundamental freedoms, into their societies.

The candidate countries are also seeking to improve their economic frameworks in order to help their own future national development and prosperity. The EU enlargement process sets rigorous standards in this regard across a range of areas from human rights, to fisheries and to the information society. Ireland expresses our views and ensures that the benchmarks and criteria are met through our participation in official-level working groups and Ministerial-level Councils.

Ireland is traditionally a strong supporter of the EU enlargement process. In addition to our work with our European partners, we also assisted candidate countries directly during 2015. Initiatives included the sharing, in partnership with the Institute of Public Administration, of Irish expertise in the areas of public policy and change management with Serbia and Montenegro, which are both well advanced on their European path.

Along with other Irish Government Departments, we also facilitated visits from other Western Balkan delegations that allowed them to learn more about subjects such as Irish public service structures, Irish Civil Service Renewal programme and the range of measures being taken to advance Ireland's economic recovery. The visits also enabled learning about these countries' own perspectives on progress towards future EU membership.

As well as using our influence in the dialogue on progress towards Enlargement, we monitored closely the political and economic developments in the countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey. Through our Embassy network, we developed Ireland's direct bilateral relations with each of the countries of this important region. On St Patrick's Day 2015, our Embassy in the newest Member State of the European Union, Croatia, was officially opened in Zagreb.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR PLACE IN EUROPE

Ireland and EU Common Foreign and Security Policy in 2015

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan T.D., attended regular monthly meetings of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council with his EU Foreign Minister counterparts throughout 2015 and represented Ireland’s position on important issues concerning international peace and security

The agendas for these meetings were wide-ranging, covering issues such as the collective EU response to unfolding events in Ukraine, the Middle East Peace Process, developments in northern Iraq and Syria (including the emergence of ISIS) and instability in Libya.

Migration also featured strongly over the period, with the Foreign Affairs Council agreeing to launch an EU naval mission, EUNAVFOR MED, which seeks to disrupt the activities of people smugglers and traffickers who are exploiting vulnerable people for profit and putting lives at risk. Ireland deployed three Naval Service vessels - L.É. Eithne, L.É. Niamh and L.É. Samuel Beckett - on a separate Italian-led humanitarian search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea between May and November 2015.

The Foreign Affairs Council also adopted the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy in July 2015. The Plan aims to improve the effectiveness and consistency of the EU’s action on the promotion and protection of human rights in its external policy. During the negotiations of the Plan, Ireland successfully pressed for the inclusion of substantive provisions on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief, civil society space and human rights defenders.

In the context of the EU’s role as a provider of international security in support of the United Nations, EU-led civilian and military peace-keeping, peace support and conflict prevention missions across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and development of EU capabilities in this area were also kept under ongoing review. In 2015, Ireland deployed 15 civilian experts to such EU-led missions.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Strengthening our influence and our capacity to deliver our goals is one of the high level goals of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in our Statement of Strategy 2015-2017, and part of our overall mission statement as a Government Department. In order to achieve this objective, we strive to: - Provide a unified service to Government and citizens, which is responsive to national and global changes and challenges. - Operate as an open and accountable Department delivering best practice in governance through a professional and capable workforce with a positive working environment. The stories below are examples of our delivery of this goal in 2015.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR INFLUENCE January: Launch of ‘The Global Island’ Review of Irish Foreign Policy In January 2015, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan T.D., launched a review of Ireland’s foreign policy entitled “The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World”.

The Global Island is the first significant statement of Irish foreign policy strategy in almost twenty years. It is a vision for how Ireland engages with the world and speaks of our values as a State and as a people. The need for an accountable, responsive and interconnected foreign policy has never been more urgent, as we face new global challenges in a rapidly changing world. In developing The Global Island, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consulted widely with Government and civil society. Contributors were asked to consider how we can safeguard our peace, security and economic prosperity while promoting reconciliation and cooperation at home and protecting the interests of our citizens. The launch of The Global Island policy was held during a three-day conference at Dublin Castle that brought our Department’s staff from home and abroad together with Government Ministers, State Agencies and representatives of public bodies, Irish business, and the educational and creative sectors to discuss the challenges it outlines. Recognising that the promotion of Irish values and interests must be at the core of our foreign policy, the Department organised this conference to explore how best all representatives of Team Ireland around the world could deliver on Government priorities and objectives. The Global Island provides a framework for Ireland’s foreign policy under five key headings: (i) Our People takes stock of the ongoing work in pursuit of reconciliation and cooperation on the island of Ireland; the provision of support for Irish citizens travelling, living and working abroad; the growing engagement with the Irish diaspora; and the promotion of Irish culture abroad. (ii) Our Values sets out Ireland's support for a fairer, more just, more secure and more sustainable world through our development programme, human rights policies, peacekeeping, disarmament and security policies and growing engagement with global issues including climate change. It also considers the role of the EU and UN in amplifying Ireland's voice and extending its influence. (iii) Our Prosperity considers the global economic background to the ongoing efforts in support of recovery, growth and job creation, in particular through trade, tourism, education, investment and the enhancement of Ireland's reputation. (iv) Our Place in Europe considers the fundamental importance for Ireland of our membership of the EU and how the Government engages across the broad agenda of EU decision-making to safeguard and promote the interests of Ireland and to shape the EU and its global engagement. (v) Our Influence considers how the Government can best leverage the resources available to secure the maximum benefit for the Irish people from Ireland’s international engagement. More information on the launch of The Global Island, including a copy of the review itself, can be found at: https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/our-work/casestudiesarchive/2015/january/the-global-island/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR INFLUENCE Global Horizons: Bringing Diplomacy to the Next Generation The Global Horizons Initiative was developed in 2015 to encourage Irish students to engage with international affairs and the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in promoting Ireland’s interests and values around the globe. The first programme of its kind in any Government Department, Global Horizons is aimed at students in second and third level, as well as young graduates, through three distinct strands: Iveagh Scholars, Diplomats in the Classroom, and Representing Ireland Abroad.

The Iveagh Scholars programme invited Transition Year students from around Ireland to come to the Department for a week of immersion in all aspects of our work. Students applied by submitting an essay or video on the theme of Ireland’s Values, and the thirty best entrants were chosen to take part. The week gave students an opportunity to experience UN and EU negotiations through simulation exercises, take part in exercises to promote Irish business abroad, and travel to Belfast to learn about the Department’s role in the peace process. The participants also discussed the importance of human rights and international development for Ireland’s foreign policy, and had the opportunity to meet Minister Flanagan and discuss their vision for Ireland and Ireland’s place in the world. “I think it’s an amazing idea that the Department brought in young people and let them do this programme because without it, I probably would never have considered a career as a diplomat. It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities.” Kate Hall, Iveagh Scholar 2015

Through the Diplomats in the Classroom strand, recent Third Secretaries recruited as junior diplomats to the Department carried out workshops at secondary schools across Ireland to encourage students to consider a future career in the Department. Workshops were held at 12 different schools, including interactive presentations, quizzes, debates, and consular exercises, showing the wide range of our work around the world. By sharing information and personal experience of working with the Department, our staff increased awareness of our work priorities and encouraged students to consider a career representing Ireland overseas. Similarly, the Representing Ireland Abroad programme worked with third level students to promote internship and employment opportunities, at home and abroad, to recent graduates. The team worked closely with Career Officers at a number of third-level institutions, as well as the Public Appointments Service, to ensure the target audiences were aware of the wide range of opportunities available to them.

For more information about the Global Horizons programme, or to get involved in next year’s events, visit https://www.dfa.ie/about-us/global-horizons/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR INFLUENCE

Redevelopment of Embassy and Consulate Websites

Communicating effectively is a challenge for a Department located on a global scale and operating in multiple time zones in 80 locations around the world. Websites and digital media provide valuable communication platforms by which we connect with key audiences.

In 2015 we completed the redevelopment of our digital infrastructure with the rollout of new websites for Ireland’s Embassies, Consulates and other diplomatic missions abroad.

Building on the successful redevelopment of the Irish Aid and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade websites, this project further expanded the digital reach of Ireland’s diplomatic network. The total number of new websites involved was 84.

Optimisation of the websites for improved accessibility and enhanced user experience were central to the redevelopment project. Strong emphasis was placed on providing local content that is relevant to the audience in each country.

The Web and Digital project team in Dublin worked in close collaboration with Embassy and Consulate staff abroad to refresh and streamline content, improve online services, integrate social media channels and deepen user experiences. The websites for Embassy Beijing and the Consulate General in Shanghai were translated into Mandarin.

Translation of other Embassies’ and Consulates’ web content into local languages and other improvements such as responsive design features for tablet and smartphone devices are planned for over the period ahead. In addition, all new sites were built with the capacity to produce analytic reports, allowing us to track the public’s interaction with our new online presence. These reporting procedures have already highlighted significant growth of our website audiences in 2015, with almost 6 million visits recorded. Through improved capacity to track and monitor engagement with Embassies’ and Consulates’ websites, we are gaining increased understanding of our audiences abroad and a basis for more informed decision-making about our current and future digital outreach strategies.

For more information on our Web & Digital presence in 2015, see https://www.dfa.ie/annualreport/2015/facts-and- figures/web-digital-presence-2015/

DFAT Year in Review 2015

OUR INFLUENCE

Expanding our Global Network in 2015 In 2015, as Ireland's economy continued to be the fastest growing in the EU, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade expanded Ireland's diplomatic network on behalf of the Government by opening offices in Zagreb, Austin and São Paulo.

This increased global presence reflects our commitment to ensuring that an Irish voice is heard around the world, equipping us to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities and increasing knowledge of Ireland in other countries.

Having an official presence in other countries also ensures that we can support our citizens abroad, represent their interests effectively, and promote the Irish Government's values and policies to a global audience.

Ireland's Embassy in Croatia, the EU's newest member state, is helping to build trade links with a country that already has a strong cultural connection with Ireland through James Joyce, who lived, taught and wrote in Pula.

The Consulate in Austin, Texas is working to promote Ireland-U.S. relations in the South West of the United States. It also supports the large Irish community which has been a presence there since the late 18th century. The Consulate General in São Paulo is located at a key trade and economic hub for the Americas.

In each case, the new Embassy and Consulates are well positioned to support Irish businesses that are seeking to grow overseas and gain access to new markets, including through promotional events, trade missions and close cooperation with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has over 1,300 staff working in almost 90 offices in Ireland and around the world. Click through below to meet some of our officers and find out about what they worked on in 2015.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Anne Anderson Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America

2015 was a year of contrasts, with many highs and some lows. Spring and autumn saw two very successful visits –Taoiseach Enda Kenny came to Atlanta and Austin in March, and President Higgins visited the West Coast in October. In between, we had “a summer of sorrow and a summer of grace”.

The Berkeley tragedy in June cast a very deep shadow; amid the grief, we did everything we could to support the bereft families. A month later, I was back in California for the Special Olympics, where the skill and spirit of the Irish athletes helped uplift us all.

In policy terms, the highs included the record-breaking figures for US investment in Ireland, for tourism and for exports (we were pleased to finally secure market access for Irish beef). A low was the continued impasse on immigration reform, despite relentless lobbying on our part.

A highlight of our Cultural programming was the celebration of the 150th anniversary of WB Yeats. Public diplomacy outreach involved visits on my part to a dozen or so States – all very varied: one of the cherished memories is my meeting with our GAA players in Alaska, the most northerly GAA team on the planet!

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Katie Carney Passport Office, Cork

In December 2014, the Missions Section of the Passport Service was moved to the Cork office. I was put in charge of setting up and running the section. We are an extremely busy team - in 2015, we processed over 50,000 applications from our Embassies and Consulates abroad, including more than 600 applications from our Honorary Consulates around the world. My duties include delegating our applications to the Missions team, ensuring that the Missions Mailbox is staffed at all times, and prioritising the applications that come in to the team. I deal with any complex applications that come through the Mailbox.

In November 2015, I drafted the first Missions Newsletter. This monthly bulletin helps to keep our colleagues abroad up to date of any changes in passport policies/ procedures and it also gives turnaround times of applications. It’s been a great way for missions to stay up to date on what’s happening in the Cork office as well.

On average, we turn around applications in 12-18 working days. This timeframe is from when we receive the application in Cork to approval stage. The Missions Section can be challenging at times with different time zones and language barriers but I absolutely love working here. Every day is different and the section provides a great platform to build a strong rapport with my colleagues abroad.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Alan Farrelly Embassy of Ireland, Thailand

As Deputy Head of Mission in Bangkok, I had the great experience of establishing a new Embassy in one of Asia’s most exciting and dynamic cities. My first impressions on arriving in Thailand were of the many opportunities in a country that is developing rapidly, but also of the little real knowledge of Ireland among the general population – I received quite a few questions about our cold weather and volcanoes - and relatively limited knowledge of Ireland among government and key decision makers and influencers. In Thailand, reputation and relationships are crucial, and a large part of my role involved developing relationships which would enable us to raise Ireland’s profile there.

To fully exploit the opportunities in sectors such as education and tourism I worked closely with Thais who had a connection to Ireland, including Thai alumni of Irish universities who were keen to help the Embassy promote a country that they spoke so highly of. The Embassy also arranged visits to Ireland for Government officials, representatives of the media, and the Thai Board of Trade. Developing relationships and building a profile in a new country takes time and a presence on the ground makes all the difference.

It was a rewarding experience to be there at the beginning of that process. We were one of three new Irish diplomatic missions that had recently opened in the region, and although being first on the ground can be challenging, the support and camaraderie between Bangkok, Hong Kong and Jakarta made the experience even more enjoyable.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Philip Grant Consul General, San Francisco

2015 was the most challenging in my 25 years working for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I watch over the largest of our Consular regions, with a population of over 75 million. It is a region of vital importance to the Irish economy and to job creation.

Our ties with the Western United States have always been close. The Irish played a big part in how the west was won and the Irish are still winning in the west. In 2015, a West Coast company was setting-up or expanding an operation in Ireland once every three weeks. Irish entrepreneurs are making big strides in Silicon Valley, and growing numbers of young Irish are building careers here in some of the world's most innovative and successful companies.

Meeting the investment, trade and tourism targets needed to copper-fasten Ireland's recovery is a collective effort. I work with a great team of colleagues from the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland. This was clear in the strength of the business elements in the President's historic visit to California in October and of the two Ministerial programs over St Patrick's Day.

2015 saw many other examples of Irish success and teamwork that I was honoured to contribute to. In February I was in Los Angeles with the Irish Film Board, promoting Ireland’s Oscar nominated animators and film-makers - presenting our legendary story telling ability in new and innovative ways. In June, I was invited to march at the head of the San Francisco Pride Parade - the largest celebration of its kind in the world - in recognition of the 'yes' vote in Ireland's marriage equality referendum. In August, I was back in LA to see the awe inspiring achievements of our Special Olympians at the World Games.

Above all else, however, our response to the Berkeley tragedy stands out. I am fortunate to serve my country in a region where the contribution of the Irish is second-to-none. As Berkeley demonstrated, that has not changed. I am grateful to them and all those who reached out to help our students and their families. I am especially grateful to the staff of the Consulate in San Francisco - who are also second-to-none.

For me, 2015 demonstrated the vital importance of the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in engaging and empowering our Diaspora and community organisations, so that we can support our citizens when they need us most.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Sharon Lennon Consul General, Sao Paolo

My 2015 began with returning to Brazil to open the new Consulate General in São Paulo. I was proud and excited to be nominated Consul General, but this was somewhat tempered by the reality of establishing a presence for Ireland in one of the largest and most complex cities in the world. Days quickly filled with the search for permanent office premises, establishing a strong working relationship with Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Education in Ireland and deepening our engagement with the Irish community.

Within six weeks of arriving we had organised a visit by the Minister for Education and delivered St. Patrick’s Day receptions and greenings in both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Throughout the year the Consulate supported numerous cultural activities, two education trade missions, inward visits from the IDA and Enterprise Ireland and preparatory visits for the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, while also progressing the set-up of ‘Ireland House’ in São Paulo.

The establishment phase for a new diplomatic mission is challenging and the setbacks are as disappointing as the progress is satisfying. However I have seen the positive impact of our hard work – in supporting Irish companies in the local market, helping Irish higher education institutions and language schools to attract Brazilian students and developing contacts with state and municipal governments, think-tanks, NGOs and research foundations.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Emile Makhlouf Representative Office of Ireland, Ramallah

The highlight of my year was the finalisation of the Country Strategy 2015 – 2018 which sets out our engagement with Palestine. It was developed by the Mission in close consultation with Headquarters and it was prepared within the policy frameworks of The Global Island and One World One Future. It also takes account of the Palestinian National Development Plan.

Ireland’s engagement here is driven by the high political importance of the Middle East Peace Process. The Country Strategy addresses both political and humanitarian/developmental issues.

My area of work is focused mainly on the humanitarian and developmental sides. This includes direct humanitarian support to the most needy, particularly to Palestine refugees, delivered through UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Today there are 5 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Improved Human Development actions include support to civil society in both Israel and Palestine that reflects Ireland’s longstanding commitment to the development of a viable, sovereign Palestinian state, living in peace alongside the State of Israel. These two fields of action clearly overlap and complement each other to a very great extent.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Eilís O’Neill Embassy of Ireland, Spain

As Consular Manager at the Embassy of Ireland in Madrid, my role is to provide management support to the consular team at the Embassy, which is Ireland’s busiest consular mission. Spain is a very popular destination, and every year we deal with around 1 in 4 of the total number of consular cases which involve Irish citizens around the world.

While most holidays and periods living abroad go smoothly for Irish citizens, the Embassy’s dedicated and customer-service oriented team is always ready to help if things do go wrong. In 2015 we provided assistance in connection with 73 deaths of Irish citizens and 50 arrests, as well as hospitalisations.

We work closely with local public administrations and always seek to provide up-to-date consular information and travel advice for our citizens. In addition to providing support to those who run into difficulty while in Spain, I also help oversee the Embassy’s passport and visa services, as well as additional Embassy services in relation to citizenship and certificates.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Frank Power Permanent Representation of Ireland to the Council of Europe, Strasbourg

Working at Ireland’s Representation to the Council of Europe is an immensely rewarding experience for any Irish diplomat.

Located in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe is perhaps not as well-known as the European Union or the United Nations. However, it plays a very important role as the guardian of the principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law across Europe. Its 47 members cover the entire continent, from Iceland to Azerbaijan, all working together to defend and promote our common values.

The work of the Representation differs from that of many other Irish Embassies in that as a multilateral Mission, we focus exclusively on work of the Council of Europe rather than on Ireland’s relations with an individual country.

2015 began with a visit to Strasbourg in January by President Higgins, where he delivered a very well-received speech at the Council on the subject of “The Future of Parliaments”.

Throughout the year, the focus of our work was on the European Convention on Human Rights and the associated European Court of Human Rights. Promotion of human rights internationally is a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy and I have been particularly honoured to play a part in making these aspirations a reality.

My own particular role as Ireland’s the Deputy Permanent Representative involved helping to ensure that the European Convention on Human Rights is operating as it should. I also worked with other delegations to monitor how Member States implement judgements issued by the European Court of Human Rights.

We have also worked on a range of other issues, including the Council’s responses to the threat of terrorism and to ongoing political crises in Europe, as well as the strengthening of democratic institutions in Member States.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Trevor Redmond Legal Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Within the Department’s Legal Division, I work mainly on matters of EU law, the UN, terrorism and sanctions. 2015 was another busy year. Input was required on the swift negotiation and conclusion of an Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, as well as on a number of new agreements being entered into between the EU and its Member States, and third countries including Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community.

We also gave attention to proposals by the UK to introduce certain reforms in EU law in advance of its referendum on EU membership in 2016. By way of hoping for the best but preparing for all possible outcomes, , I participated in a number of conferences that discussed the potential implications of a UK withdrawal from the EU.

Over 140 legal acts were adopted across thirty EU sanctions regimes, in 2015. I attended regular meetings on these at the Cross Departmental Sanctions Committee, as well as the Relex Sanctions Group in Brussels. In October and November I represented Ireland at the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the UN General Assembly in New York and delivered statements on the work of the International Law Commission and on topics such as the immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction and the provisional application of treaties.

As in all years, the variety of Legal Division’s work in 2015 kept us ever-learning, always interested, and mostly on our toes!

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Brendan Scannell Retired Ambassador of Ireland to Denmark

In 2015 I closed the door in Copenhagen on my 42-year career with the Department.

I’m happy to report that life does continue post-DFA. I’ve been fortunate myself to avail of new professional opportunities in both the corporate and philanthropic sectors. This has allowed me to put to good use – whether it’s been promoting Ireland as a place to do business or troubleshooting for foreign companies – many of the skills that I developed during my time in the Department.

I originally joined DFA in 1972, as part of the wave of reinforcements that was brought on board at the time of joint British and Irish entry to the European Economic Community. It shows that life really does go around in circles as the Department now beefs up once more to deal with the UK’s exit from that same Community.

It’s also a reminder – despite the changed world in which we live – that our diplomats are still needed now just as they were then. Diplomacy, I suppose, is a bit like the Kerry football team – it never truly goes away.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Neema Shosho Embassy of Ireland, Tanzania

I joined the Embassy in 2015 as a Nutrition Advisor. My role is to provide technical support to Irish Aid in Tanzania in the area of hunger, food security and nutrition. I work with government and local and international non-governmental organisations to provide families with information on good infant and young child feeding practices, such as exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, preparation of nutritious, diverse and locally available foods, and proper hygiene and sanitation.

I also work to support local government to strengthen their planning, budgeting and supervision of nutrition activities. This is important to ensure that nutrition activities, such as educating families on good nutrition practices and advocacy to change nutrition behaviours, are adequately invested in and sustained.

I am enjoying my first year here at the Embassy, in particular the opportunity to work with a diverse team, and I look forward to many more years of contributing to the work of Irish Aid.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Carol Staunton Trade Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

I joined the Department’s Trade Division in March 2015, assuming the role of desk officer for cultural relations. It’s been a fascinating journey so far, with Yeats 150, the Year of Irish Design 2015 and the monumental cultural promotion work carried out by colleagues abroad introducing me to the Department’s work in a very colourful way.

My time since joining has been a whirlwind of firsts: my first behind-the-scenes view of St. Patrick’s Day preparations; my first radio appearance, speaking about poetry and sport on RTÉ 1’s Arena; being involved in the Department’s first Iveagh Cultural Exchange; being part of developing the Iveagh Scholars programme; participating in the inaugural Civil Service Graduate Training Scheme, and making new friends (and allies!) in other Government departments; and my first time on the other side of the interview table, assessing various scholarship applicants with colleagues from the Department of Education and Skills and local embassies.

However, the main highlight of the year has undoubtedly been meeting so many great and inspiring colleagues. The warm welcome and generous guidance they’ve offered is a great reflection on the Department’s ethos…and recruitment methods!

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Teresa Sweeney Human Resources Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

2015 was a particularly busy year in Human Resources II, which coordinates assignments to Ireland’s diplomatic missions around the world for staff from all Government Departments. Sixteen other Government Departments have over ninety staff posted abroad at any one time; together with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff, this means we are usually responsible for at least 300 people posted abroad from Ireland at any given time.

In total, over 270 officers were on the move in 2015, and there were also a large number of short-term assignments. Each move and assignment generates a wide range of tasks, including organising flights and temporary accommodation for staff, and dealing with leases.

One of the interesting aspects of the job is the constant contact with staff around the world. In May and June, I worked on seven pre-posting briefing sessions for officers going abroad, which is a great opportunity to get to know colleagues from all across the Department and the Civil Service. I and my colleagues are one of the main links between an officer and home throughout a posting.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Theresa Tuite Protocol Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

One of my main responsibilities in Protocol is to manage the accreditation of foreign Ambassadors to Ireland. This means getting Government approval for their appointment (known as ‘agrément’ from the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations) and then organising their credential ceremonies, where they present their letters of accreditation to Ireland. There are 142 countries accredited to Ireland. 58 of these have Embassies in Dublin with resident Ambassadors, and most of the others are based in London.

In 2015, I organised 23 agréments, met 30 new Ambassadors, and arranged 10 credential ceremonies. Ambassadors are usually posted to Ireland for three or four years, but I’m always kept busy with arranging accreditation for the newest arrivals. For the first step, I prepare a Draft Memorandum for Government. When the Government has approved the new Ambassador, I then organise their presentation of credentials, which is a ceremonial meeting with the President of Ireland. I usually greet new Ambassadors on arrival at the airport on behalf of the Chief of Protocol. The credential ceremonies, which are held at Áras an Uachtaráin, are formal occasions and carried out with military ceremony.

For the non-resident Ambassadors, I usually arrange a programme of meetings for their visit to Dublin. This involves contacting Government Departments, the Oireachtas and Trade and Professional Organisations. I enjoy establishing contacts with the Ambassadors and officials from a wide range of countries. I get to know a lot of Ambassadors and Embassy staff from many different countries, which is very helpful when we organise events like the New Year’s Greetings ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin each January and the National Day of Commemoration in Kilmainham in July.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

Year in Review 2015 - Facts & Figures

Our mission is to serve the Irish people, promote their values and advance their prosperity abroad, and to provide the Government with the capabilities, analysis and influence to ensure that Ireland derives the maximum benefit from all areas of its external engagement. Here we present our latest Statement of Strategy, our Annual Accounts for 2015 and details on how we operate in some key areas.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

FACTS & FIGURES

Statement of Strategy 2015 - 2017

The Department’s Statement of Strategy is informed by the core foreign policy statements The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World and Irelands Policy for International Development and involved consultation across Government as well as with all our staff at home and abroad.

The Department’s Strategy is built on five high-level goals covering:

 Our People  Our Values  Our Prosperity  Our Place in Europe  Our Influence Our People: To serve our people at home and abroad and to promote reconciliation and cooperation

Maintaining peace and stability on our island and consolidating the achievements of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements, including the recent Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements, remain central to our work. We shall continue to foster reconciliation and to develop opportunities for North-South cooperation for the benefit of both parts of this island.

The effective delivery of passport and consular services for our citizens at home and abroad is a central component of the Department's work. We will continue to deliver a modern, secure passport service. We constantly strive to improve our response to crises as well as the needs of individual citizens travelling abroad.

Our culture, arts and creative industries are promoted through the Embassy network and the Department also engages with Irish communities abroad to provide support and foster their links with Ireland. Ireland's deepened engagement with its diaspora is set out in the recently published document Global Irish: Ireland’s Diaspora Policy.

Our Values: To work for a fairer, more just, secure and sustainable world

The Department aims to promote Ireland's values in all areas of its work. Through our development cooperation work and our engagement in multilateral fora we aim to make further progress in eradicating poverty and hunger, promoting inclusive economic growth, and promoting and protecting human rights internationally. We will promote a stable and secure, rules-based international environment through the UN and the EU, and our other multilateral and bilateral partners and NGOs. We will contribute to a new UN-led framework for sustainable development that addresses climate change, food security and interconnected issues.

Our Prosperity: To advance Ireland's prosperity by promoting our economic interests internationally

In line with the strong focus of the Programme for Government and the Statement of Government Priorities on promoting economic growth, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade plays a leading role in fostering the international dimension of Ireland's economic growth, in close cooperation with the State Agencies, Irish business and the Global Irish Network.

Our network of diplomatic missions is actively promoting Ireland as open for business and a destination for inward investment. We build and maintain strong bilateral relations to promote our economic interests abroad, helping us contribute to job creation, the identification of opportunities for exports, and the promotion of tourism and education in Ireland. Our missions also ensure that accurate information about the benefits of doing business in Ireland is communicated to key international decision makers and opinion formers.

Our Place in Europe: To protect and advance Ireland's values and interests in Europe

Our engagement with the EU remains central to Ireland's foreign policy. The Department aims to maximise Ireland's influence in shaping EU outcomes by nurturing strong relationships with the EU institutions and other

DFAT Year in Review 2015

member States. We will work to ensure that Ireland makes a strong contribution to the EU's global engagement and to the promotion of peace and security in Europe.

Our Influence: To strengthen our influence and our capacity to deliver our goals

The Department upholds the highest ethos of public service. We aim to be an open and accountable Department, with a professional and capable workforce in a positive working environment, which delivers best practice in governance, is responsive to national and global changes and challenges, and provides a unified service to the Government and Irish Citizens.

Rather than looking at our high-level goals in isolation, we recognise - as clearly stated in The Global Island - that they are intertwined and support one another. The work of every individual in this Department is linked to the delivery of these goals.

For more information

Read our Statement of Strategy 2015-2017.

DFAT Year in Review 2015

FACTS & FIGURES

Annual Accounts 2015 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Financial Highlights 2015

The Department's annual budget operates under two headings that are allocated to us by Dáil Eireann:

Vote 27 - International Cooperation: This covers Official Development Assistance as managed by the Department through the Irish Aid programme. It includes grants to NGOs and civil society partners, contributions to International organisations involved in Development Assistance, as well as the related running costs of Irish Aid.

Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade: This covers all other expenditure by the Department, including Ireland's contributions to International Organisations (in particular the UN), as well as the running of Passport Service, the Emigrant Support Programme and out work in support of peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland.

Our annual budget reflects our commitment to serve the Irish people, promote their values and advance their prosperity abroad, and to provide the Government with the capabilities, analysis and influence to ensure that Ireland derives the maximum benefit from all areas of its external engagement.

In 2015 we spent €683.9 million across the five Programme areas identified in our Strategy Statement for 2015- 2017. This expenditure is analysed further in Table 1.

Table 1: Summary Expenditure and Income for Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

DFAT Year in Review 2015

FACTS & FIGURES