I. Diplomatic Relations
Diplomatic relations between Greece and Ireland were established on 22/1/1975. The Greek Embassy in Dublin was founded in 1977 within the framework of our application to join the EU at the time, and was followed by the setting up of the Irish Embassy in Athens. The accession of Greece to the European Union in 1981 (Ireland had been a member since 1973) was an important milestone in relations between the two countries, given that there were frequent and multi-level contacts between the two sides within the community framework.
II. Framework of Treaties
Relations between the two countries are determined to a great extent by their EU membership.
Some important bilateral treaties are:
) the Educational Agreement of 1980, whose latest three-year executive programme is still in force.
) the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation, put in force on 1.1.2005.
It should be noted that an Irish Archaeological School has been operating in Athens since its approval in 1996 (see point V, Cultural Agencies).
III. Political relations
Greece and Ireland have traditionally friendly relations and no bilateral problems. Ireland recently decided to use FYROMs constitutional name exclusively for bilateral relations, and Greece, which responded with the necessary demarches. It is estimated that political relations could be developed even further, given that the two countries positions converge on a series of issues and that the two countries share common values. The two peoples won their independence, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with great sacrifices and after long periods of oppression and deprivation of basic freedoms. The two countries are members of the EU, the UN, the OSCE and the Eurozone.
Official visits since 2000
- 2000. Visit to Ireland of the then President of the Republic K. Stephanopoulos
- 2002. Visit to Greece by the President of Ireland, Ms. Mary McAleese, in reciprocation for the Greek Presidents visit.
- Visit of the then Prime Minister, Mr. Kostas Simitis, as president of the Council of the EU, in May 2003 and of the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, in May 2004. Also in the first semester of 2004, i.e., during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, Prime Minister Mr. Kostas Karamanlis visited Dublin.
The following recent visits are also to be noted:
- 16.2.06: Visit of Prime Minister Mr. Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Ms. Bakoyannis to Dublin
- Visit of the then Speaker of the House of the Hellenic Parliament, Ms. Anna Psarouda-Benaki, to Dublin from 3 to 8 November 2006. She was received by the President of Ireland and met with the Chairman of Dil ireann (Irelands lower house of Parliament), the Chairman of Seanad ireann (upper house), the leaders of the two largest opposition parties, as well as with the Minister for Education.
- Working visit of Secretary General for European Affairs Mr. Dimitrios Katsoudas (from 11 to 14 April 2008). Mr. Katsoudas had meetings with Minister of State of An Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs, Mr. Dick Roche, contacts with Foreign Ministry leading officials, with the President of the Irish Parliaments Joint Committee for European Affairs, and gave a speech at the Institute for European Affairs on Stabilizing Southeast Europe: Successes and Problems the view from Greece.
IV. Economic and Trade Relations
In 2007, the value of Greek exports to Ireland rose to 59,611,608, whereas the value of Irish exports amounted to 523,952,184, i.e., a 1:10 ratio. Since then, Irish exports have risen significantly whereas Greek exports have remained virtually stable.
Irish exports consist mainly of medicines (1/5 of the total volume), chemicals, machines, cheese, software, PCs, and liqueurs, whereas Greek exports include machines (mainly turbines), electrical conductors, medicines, fruit juices, fish products, textiles and feta cheese.
V. Cultural relations
Greek-related cultural bodies.
* The Dublin-based Irish-Hellenic Society and Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens, School of Classics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2
Tel.: 3682474
e -mail: Christine.morris@tcd.ie
Website: (http://www.primeminister.gr/)
Athens address:
Notara 51, Exarhia, 10683 Athens, tel.: 210-8848074
* Classical Association of Ireland
Website: (http://www.primeminister.gr/)
'Classics' departments offer courses on Greek language and culture at several universities, such as University College of Dublin, Trinity College of Dublin, National University of Ireland/Maynooth, National University of Ireland/Galway (western Ireland) and University College Cork, southern Ireland.
Furthermore, the Queen's University of Belfast in northern Ireland has a Department of Byzantine Studies.
The abovementioned academic institutions are prestigious and internationally acclaimed.
VI. Greek Community
There is a small Greek community of about 600 people with an average age of 28-30 years old, chiefly represented by the Dublin-based Hellenic Community of Ireland President: Ms. Thomais Kakouli - Address: 100 Castle Dawson, Maynooth Co, Kildare, Ireland, tel. 003531-6285723 , mob. 00353876225969 , e-mail: thomae.kakouli@itcarlow.ie, website: www.helleniccommunity.ie ). There is a Greek Church of the Annunciation (46 Arbour Hill, Dublin 7, tel.: 01-6779020, ) and the School of the Hellenic Community of Ireland, (same address as the Church), tel.: 6337944
Greeks in Ireland are mostly employed in I.T., new technology and pharmaceutical companies.
VII. Embassy Details