Global Ireland Strategies

The Government has published the final review of the Global Ireland Strategy 2018-2025 in December 2025.

Expanding our missions

1. 26 new diplomatic missions opened around the world
2. New flagship Ireland House opened in Tokyo in 2024
3. Ensure increased impact in shaping the future direction of the EU, its policies, budgets, programmes and legislation in areas that are of strategic importance to Ireland.
4. Maintain ongoing support among our international partners for Ireland’s unique concerns in the negotiations on Brexit – including on the peace process and Northern Ireland – and our interest in a deep and comprehensive future relationship with the UK.
5. Maintain a strong relationship with the UK and its constituent parts as it leaves the EU – mitigating potentially negative impacts for the country.
6. Enhanced Ireland's impact in shaping the future direction of EU policies, budgets, programmes, and legislation, particularly in preparation for Ireland's Presidency of the EU in 2026, and via our ongoing Presidency of the Eurogroup, our programmes to mark EU50, and through increased representation of Irish citizens in the EU institutions.
7. Strong foundations in place for Irish as an official language of the EU and continue to raise awareness about the opportunities arising from this status for the language among the public, officials, and elected representatives.
8. Fully implemented five whole-of-government regional strategies and two country-specific strategies.
9. Developed a new regional strategy for the Middle East and North Africa.
10. Increased diversification in trade and investment flows, generating greater economic opportunity for Ireland, including in countries and regions in which Ireland is currently less well-known.
11. New health attaché posts in Brussels and Geneva to increase engagement in EU and WHO global health planning and coordination.
12. Developed a comprehensive cross-Government attaché programme placing experts in Technology, Science, International Education, Research and Innovation, Migration, Climate, and Culture in targeted Missions around the world.
13. Built on the legacy of our UNSC term and Council of Europe Presidency by seeking election to the UNHRC for the 2027- 2029 term and through our leadership role as co-facilitator for the negotiations on the political declaration of the UN SDG Summit in September 2023.
14. Advance Ireland’s economic and trading interests in multilateral contexts, including the WTO and OECD. Secure greater support for a rules-based world trading environment, benefiting Ireland’s exporters, supporting inward FDI and increasing opportunities for our enterprise and people.
15. Delivered a comprehensive programme of engagements at Expo 2025 Osaka.

16. Advanced Ireland’s values and signature foreign policies, including the promotion of peace, disarmament, human rights, greater equality, and justice, developing our strategic interest in a safer, more peaceful, more equal, more prosperous world; and providing the basis for a successful campaign for election to the UN Security Council.

17. Ongoing contribution to the global fight against poverty and hunger, and the promotion of equality and justice and sustainable development, amplified in line with a well-managed expansion in our aid programme, working towards 0.7% of GNI by 2030.

18. Delivered on Ireland's pledge during UNGA week 2022 to contribute an additional €50 million to combat child wasting over 3 years (2022-2024).

19. More than doubled our overall Climate Finance spend to at least €225 million per year by 2025.