Consulate General of Ireland opened by Simon Coveney
News
01 October 2021
On 1st October, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, T.D., officially opened Ireland’s Consulate General for the North of England which is based in Manchester. The Consulate opening is part of the Global Ireland 2025 strategy for doubling Ireland’s international impact.
On the occasion of the launch, Minister Coveney said, “The establishment of the Consulate, along with the opening of an Enterprise Ireland office two years ago, is a physical testament to the importance that the Irish Government places on the relationship with the North of England, and to our ambition for the British-Irish bilateral relationship.
“I am delighted to be marking this major step forward with our new Consul General, Sarah Mangan, and with partners such as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Steve Rotheram, and Wendy Morton MP, Minister for Europe and Americas at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
“The links between Ireland and this part of the world are profound, and uplifting, and have been built over generations. There are few facets of life where connections cannot be found and my hope is that with the opening of this new diplomatic mission we will strengthen existing partnerships, and forge new ones, across every sector and area of activity.”
As part of the launch, Minister Coveney chaired a business roundtable discussion, looking at opportunities for Irish businesses in the region. The Minister then hosted a reception at the Manchester Art Gallery where he met with representatives of the Irish cultural and sporting community as well as other key contacts.
While in the North of England the Minister discussed support for the planning of an official visit to Ireland to be led by Mayor Burnham and Mayor Rotheram in early 2022 to drive forward our partnerships.