40 Deputy Eamon Gilmore asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of messages of congratulations he has issued to the newly elected President of Brazil. [2858/11]

Dilma Rousseff was inaugurated as the 36th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, having taken 56% of the vote in the second-round of the elections, which took place on 31 October 2010. The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, T.D. wrote to congratulate President-elect Rousseff immediately after the election. Following President Rousseff's inauguration and the appointment of the new Government, Minister Micheál Martin wrote to congratulate the incoming Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Patriota. Ireland and Brazil have long enjoyed close bilateral relations and it is my hope that this relationship will continue to grow under President Rousseff's presidency.