Irish foreign affairs minister defends position on Western Australia In response to questions asked by LaoisOffaly TD Charlie Flanagan – and inquiries by Irish Scene – Ireland’s minister for foreign affairs Simon Coveney offered the following explanation for why he had decided against a full time consulate general in Perth. His response to Mr Flanagan – himself a former foreign affairs minsiter – came in late May, weeks after the last edition of Irish Scene was published, including the story ‘Mission’ not possible for Perth.
You will appreciate that this was a robust process involving a range of factors, including our national, political and economic priorities, as well as the availability of resources for each potential mission location. The locations of new missions also needs to be considered as part of a balanced package consistent with the ambitions set out in the Global Ireland strategy. The reply to your recent PQ represents my current thinking on this issue based on this latest review of options. Once the Government decides on any new missions to be opened, an appropriate announcement will be made. Our commitment to the Irish community in Western Australia is steadfast. Our Honorary Consul in Perth, Marty Kavanagh, provides excellent consular services to Irish citizens in Western Australia. He is fully engaged with the Irish community and, with the support of the Embassy and State Agencies, he assists in developing trade and economic relations with Western Australia. I understand that our Ambassador will visit Western Australia soon and I have asked him to make every effort to include Perth, when possible, in future high-level visits from Ireland. I am aware that, unfortunately due to thenprevailing restrictions, it was not possible for Minister Naughton to include Perth in her recent St Patrick’s Day visit to Australia.
Dear Charlie, Thank you for your recent email regarding my reply to your recent Parliamentary Question [PQ] on Perth and the further questions you have now received from Mr Lloyd Gorman, publisher/editor of the ‘Irish Scene’ magazine. Mr Gorman is seeking clarification regarding the development of my thinking on this matter over recent months, as expressed at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence and in my reply to your recent PQ. At the Joint Committee in November, I said we needed to think about Western Australia in the context of enhancing Ireland’s global footprint but I also said that I didn’t want to pre-announce anything. In March, I told the Committee that Perth was being considered as part of a package which was not yet signed off. Following that meeting and prior to my PQ reply, I reviewed the options for enlarging our diplomatic footprint globally, including in Australia. 36 | THE IRISH SCENE
My Department will continue to explore options for further expanding and strengthening our mission network, including in Australia. I wish to assure you and Mr Gorman that I will seek to ensure that Western Australia will benefit, whether directly or indirectly, from any additional resources which we can provide in Australia. Yours sincerely, Simon Coveney TD Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence
Julie Bishop – a good friend of Ireland Charlie Flanagan was Ireland’s minister for foreign affairs (and trade) between 2014 and 2017. Julie Bishop, the member for Curtin from 1998 to 2019, was his Australian counterpart from 2013 to 2018. In February 2017 their paths
