Opening of the new Consulate General of Ireland in Wales

News

 Speaking in Cardiff today, the Ambassador of Ireland to the UK, Mr. Adrian O’Neill, welcomed the re-opening of the Consulate General of Ireland in Wales, led by the recently-appointed Consul General Ms Denise Hanrahan.

The re-opening of the Consulate highlights the importance of the relationship between Ireland and Wales, and is part of Ireland’s expansion of its diplomatic network under the “Global Ireland” initiative. The Consulate in Cardiff will have a governmental and economic focus and will play an important role in supporting the strengthening and deepening of the existing relationships between Ireland and Wales.

During the visit the Ambassador and the Consul General met with a number of political leaders including the Rt. Hon. Mr. Mark Drakeford, AM, First Minister of Wales and Ms. Eluned Morgan, AM, Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, as well as Mr. Adam Price, AM, leader of Plaid Cymru.

Speaking in Cardiff, Ambassador O’Neill said

“I am delighted that Ireland’s Consulate in Cardiff is now open and I welcome Denise Hanrahan, the new Consul General, as part of Team Ireland in Great Britain.

Ireland and Wales share a very special bond and relationship, and the Consulate will play an important role in maintaining and deepening these ties, both historic and current. I would like to thank the Welsh Government and the British Government for their support with this re-opening.

The new Consul General Denise Hanrahan said

“I am proud and delighted to take up the role of Consul General at this important moment in the relationship between Ireland and Wales. We are connected at many levels – historic, economic, cultural, academic, sporting and governmental - and there is clear potential to grow these connections even more.

I and my team look forward to getting to know Wales and its people better, and to working to support the varied and vibrant links which already span the Irish Sea.”

ENDS

Press Office

29^th May 2019

Notes to Editor:

• The Consulate General of Ireland in Wales is now open and can be contacted at cardiffcg@dfa.ie / +44 2 922 678 709/ @IrelandInWales /www.dfa.ie/irish-consulate/cardiff.
• There will be an event to celebrate the opening of the Consulate later in the year.
• Ireland is Wales’ fourth largest trading partner and the Welsh Government has a full time representative based in the British Embassy in Dublin. This is a growing economic relationship, with exports increasing. There are currently an estimated 85 Irish companies with a presence in Wales, employing some 5,500 people.
• Over the lifetime of the Global Ireland initiative, Ireland will open at least 26 new diplomatic missions and strengthen its existing diplomatic network. Since the initiative was launched last year, Ireland has opened new Embassies in Wellington, Bogotá, Amman, Monrovia and Santiago de Chile, and new Consulates General in Vancouver, Mumbai and now Cardiff.
• The expansion will continue to include new Consulates General in Los Angeles and Frankfurt in 2019, and Embassies in Kyiv, Manila and Rabat shortly thereafter.

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