Forewords
Foreword by the Tánaiste
I am pleased to present the new Statement of Strategy for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It sets out the goals we want to achieve in the period ahead, reflecting the interests and values of our people, at home and abroad.
It is self-evident that we are living through a period of immense change. The international environment has evolved dramatically and continues to do so. It has challenged us, and it will continue to challenge us, in ways that were perhaps inconceivable several years ago. That is the reality. These external changes do not mean that our fundamental principles and values will change; they have not and will not. But it does mean that we need a flexible, agile and informed approach to how we undertake our work.
In a global environment where rapid and unpredictable change is the new norm, our strong commitment to the rules based international order, with the UN Charter and international law at its core, is both a reflection of our fundamental values and an expression of our fundamental interests.
In the coming months and years, this commitment will be evident in our continued support for Ukraine, which must remain at the forefront of the international and EU agenda. Russia’s illegal invasion has upended peace and security in Europe, with far-reaching implications.
It will be demonstrated through our strong, principled and consistent leadership, at EU and international level, to bring an end to the horrific suffering in Palestine and revitalise support for a two state solution. We will explore every avenue that will allow us exert positive influence and contribute to peace, including enacting legislation banning imports from illegal Israeli settlements.
It will be reflected in our commitment to investing in sustainable development and tackling global poverty and hunger; to financing climate action; to upholding international humanitarian law; to supporting conflict prevention and resolution; and to championing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
More broadly, the challenging geopolitical context serves to underscore the importance of achieving our strategic objectives across the board.
Sustaining peace and reconciliation on this island remains an overarching priority. 27 years after the Good Friday Agreement, we can never take this for granted.
Providing first class consular and passport services to our citizens, and supporting our diaspora communities abroad is essential. As a nation, our people are our greatest asset.
During the lifetime of this Strategy, we will be tasked with steering the work of the European Union during our Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026. Our place and role in Europe remains central to our stability and prosperity as a nation.
We will continue to deepen our global engagement, including through a new Global Ireland 2040 strategy, and drive whole-of-government efforts to support our prosperity, grow and diversify our trade and investment, and advance our economic interests abroad.
In addition, we will keep investing in the capacity of the Department to innovate and deliver on our objectives.
In delivering on these objectives, our diplomatic mission network is a key strategic enabler for the State. It is through our network of bilateral relationships, built over decades of thoughtful and creative diplomacy, that we can advance our values and our interests.
The challenges we face are more complex and interconnected than ever. They require multilateral solutions, and a joined up approach at home. Foreign policy is not a specific, stand-alone piece of the government’s work; it is the business of advancing whole-of-government objectives abroad. Collaboration across Government – be it with the Department of Defence, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, or the State Agencies – is central to delivering on this Statement of Strategy. The continued roll-out of Ireland Houses will help give practical effect to this aim.
I am proud to lead the implementation of this Strategy, together with over 3,000 DFAT staff members in Ireland and across our soon-to-be 107 diplomatic offices around the world, and in partnership with my two ministerial colleagues Neale Richmond T.D., Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, and Thomas Byrne T.D., Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence.
Simon Harris T.D. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ministers of State
I welcome the publication of this Statement of Strategy as it reflects the fundamental importance of the European Union, and the importance of Ireland’s relationship with our European partners.
The period covered by this Strategy will be a critical one for Ireland. In 2026, we will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU, playing an important role in shaping EU responses to the challenges we face, and ensuring the Union continues to deliver for its citizens.
Our Presidency will be a key moment on our European journey as we continue to deepen our influence in Europe and increase our engagement on EU issues. We will ensure that Ireland’s position, influence and reputation in the EU is maintained and enhanced.
Collectively, we must also ensure that we bring home the realities, and the benefits, of our EU membership to communities across Ireland. Communities across Ireland should feel a sense of ownership, and a sense of pride, when it comes to our Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the EU generally.
I look forward to working with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris, Minister of State, Neale Richmond, the Secretary General, and the Department’s staff at home and abroad in implementing this strategy.
Thomas Byrne T.D. Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs and Defence
As Minister of State with responsibility for International Development and Diaspora, I am happy to endorse this Statement of Strategy.
It rightly highlights the challenging geopolitical context and further underscores the importance of efforts to revitalise global commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ireland will continue to provide leadership in this regard, maintaining a strong focus on reaching the furthest behind first.
I also look forward to deepening our engagement with our diaspora communities during the lifetime of this strategy. This will be driven by the delivery of a new diaspora strategy that meets the evolving needs of the global Irish, supports those who wish to return to Ireland, and deepens our connection with new generations who share a sense of Irish identity.
I am looking forward to contributing to the implementation of this strategy, working with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister of State Thomas Byrne, the Secretary General, and DFAT team across the world.
Neale Richmond T.D. Minister of State with responsibility for International Development and Diaspora
Foreword by the Secretary General
This new Statement of Strategy sets out the high level goals for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and how we will work to achieve them over the next three years. As the Tánaiste notes, the international context is uncertain and the conditions under which the Government pursues its objectives are more challenging as a result.
This is particularly the case for this Department. The expansion of our diplomatic footprint in recent years equips us to respond to the more difficult international context. It also brings with it its own complexity. Today we have almost 3,500 staff operating in over 100 locations worldwide, in more than 85 different legal jurisdictions and in 55 different currencies. We will continue to invest in our property portfolio and our ICT infrastructure to ensure that we provide safe, functional spaces and systems for our staff, their families, and for those we welcome into our embassies and consulates.
Increasingly, our staff are also required to operate in ever more challenging environments. I think particularly of the experience of our colleagues serving in Kyiv, Ramallah, Tel Aviv and Tehran in recent months.
We will continue to invest in innovation and developing the capabilities necessary to ensure we continue to deliver an excellent public service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. Protracted crises that require a sustained consular response are becoming a more common occurrence, and strengthening our crisis management systems to ensure we are prepared to support Irish citizens caught up in crises abroad is a priority. This is in addition to managing the increasing demand for consular assistance. We will continue to provide a first class passport service. In recent years we have issued close to 1 million passports each year and we don’t expect this demand to slow down.
A successful Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026 will be a key deliverable during the lifetime of this strategy and one in which this Department will play a central and leading role across Government. We have increased our staffing and upgraded our office space, both in Brussels and at home, to ensure that we do this efficiently and effectively.
Supporting peace and reconciliation on this island, and using the UK-Ireland 2030 Joint Statement to deepen bilateral relations with our nearest neighbour will remain a significant focus. More broadly we will continue to support the international rules-based order, work to develop our network of bilateral relationships globally and, in that context, diversify our trade and identify new market opportunities. We will do this through the Global Ireland 2040 initiative, and by strengthening cross-government collaboration at home and abroad.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to attach the highest priority to ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion in our workforce and in our policies as we strive to be an organisation that reflects the diversity of the people we serve. This is core to our values as a Department and guides us in all we do.
Joe Hackett, Secretary General