Minister For Foreign Affairs and Trade - Overview

Overview

The department has the following divisions:

• Finance Unit – oversees the financial control of the department.
• Anglo-Irish Division – deals with Anglo-Irish relations and Northern Ireland.
• Cultural Division – administers the state's Cultural Relations Programme.
• European Union Division – coordinates the state's approach within the European Union (EU).
• Passport and Consular Division – is responsible for the issuing of passports to Irish citizens.
• Political Division – is responsible for international political issues and manages the state's participation in the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.
• Protocol Division – is responsible for the organisation and management of visits of VIPs to the state and of visits abroad by the President of Ireland.

The Minister has responsibility for the relations between Ireland and foreign states. The department defines its role as

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministers of State and the Government on all aspects of foreign policy and coordinates Ireland’s response to international developments. It also provides advice and support on all issues relevant to the pursuit of peace, partnership and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, and between North and South of the island, and to deepening Ireland’s relationship with Britain."