Our work in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade focuses on serving the Irish public, both at home and abroad. 

We provide a range of services to Irish citizens and work hard to ensure the promotion and protection of Ireland’s interests in the world, contributing to international priorities such as peace, security and the eradication of poverty and hunger.

Our mission is to promote and protect abroad the values, interests and economic well-being of Ireland and its people. We do this under the political direction of our Ministers, through our staff at home and through our Embassy network abroad.

The Department consists of divisions and units at headquarters and a total of 73 diplomatic and consular offices abroad, often called "missions", as well as the British Irish Inter-Governmental Secretariat in Belfast and the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat in Armagh.

The Department’s headquarters provides policy support to the Government, key public services and assists the work of the embassy network. Our Embassies are uniquely placed to perform an important range of activities from representational duties to promotional work to providing crucial services to Irish people abroad.

Reconciliation Fund

The Reconciliation Fund awards grants to organisations working to build better relations within and between the traditions in Northern Ireland, the North and South, and Ireland and Britain.

The Reconciliation Fund Strategy 2014-2017 was launched on 9 June 2014. The strategy outlines the priorities for the Reconciliation Fund, ensuring that the Fund supports our vision of a reconciled Ireland and remains relevant, effective, and efficient in the coming years.