MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has expressed reluctance to consider looking outside the diplomatic corps for some of Ireland’s ambassadors.

He said: “I should hate to see the diplomatic service ultimately become a buddy system that would reflect the spoils of office”, with the appointment of an ambassador “dependent on being well in with the particular parties in office”.

The Minister told Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins that “there is enormous strength in the system we have had in place since the foundation of the State” and “we would be foolish in my view, to tinker unnecessarily with that”.

Mr Timmins suggested however that “perhaps we should think outside the box and not be strangled by the ropes of history”. The Wicklow TD said the Department of Foreign Affairs might not welcome the idea, but “looking outside the diplomatic corps for a percentage of our ambassadors” was a model that many countries had used successfully.

He said because Ireland exports so much and is “seeking to create a brand for itself, this could be particularly apposite”. He highlighted US ambassadors like Jean Kennedy-Smith who was an “ideal ambassador for the time of the peace process as was ambassador Foley, from the viewpoint of creating business”.

Mr Timmins repeated calls to link trade more to embassies and combine offices abroad such as Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland with embassies “under one roof”. The Minister agreed and said in some cases, they created an “Ireland House effect” with various bodies on one campus.

On appointing outside ambassadors, he said that “bringing people in cold from outside . . . could also be laced with complications”.