20 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of Irish diplomatic presence in each of the current EU applicant states. [16919/00]

73 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans he has in the immediate to medium-term future to set up further embassies abroad in places such as Brazil, Chile and in some of the North African and the central-eastern European countries. [16777/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 73 together.

I am keeping under continuous review the need for establishing further Irish embassies abroad. I am in favour of a targeted and incremental increase in the number of our diplomatic missions as resources permit. My priorities include a number of European countries, including the EU applicants, and Latin America.

Of the EU applicant states, Ireland has embassies in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Turkey.