Ireland's relationship with Germany
Ireland’s deep and enduring relationship with Germany goes back centuries.
The Irish-German relationship has its roots in the seventh century when missionaries such as St. Killian came from Ireland to Germany.
This began a rich exchange which has echoed through the centuries, leaving a deep imprint on one another’s cultures.
It includes Heinrich Böll whose Irish Diary is the most famous book about Ireland by a German author, and who spent considerable amounts of time writing on Achill Island.
Peace and prosperity
Our two countries have a deep and close partnership, as members of the European Union, where we share common priorities. We are both strong export-driven economies, which enhance the lives of our citizens.
We are strong advocates of the rules-based international system and are close partners at the United Nations, with a shared commitment to human development, peace and prosperity.
We share common values and bring a values-driven approach to development assistance – prioritising human dignity by promoting security, economic opportunity, gender equality and climate action.
Economic relations
Germany is Ireland’s third largest trading partner and our largest trading partner in the European Union. It is a priority market for our trade promotion agencies. Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Tourism Ireland all work closely with the Irish Embassy in Berlin and our Consulate General in Frankfurt. We are opening a further Consulate General in Munich in August 2024. We have had a Joint Plan of Action with Germany since 2018, which is the basis of increased and deeper cooperation across a range of sectors including agriculture and finance and with an increasing focus on climate action and energy.
Investment between our countries is thriving. Two-way trade between the countries has more than doubled over the last decade and now stands at over €60bn.
Irish companies employ some 38,000 people in Germany while German companies employ 15,000 people in Ireland.
People-to-people links
Almost 20,000 Irish people live in Germany, and over 15,000 people born in Germany have made Ireland their home. Irish people have brought their culture with them with 12 GAA Clubs throughout Germany as well as a number of Irish language groups throughout the country. There is also a number of Irish studies centres located throughout Germany, with dedicated academics conducting current research across topics such as Irish literature, linguistics, and the representation of the Irish language on screen.
There is a rich tradition of town-twinning between Ireland and Germany with 17 towns twinned, many of which have vibrant annual exchanges.
Germany is Ireland’s third largest tourism market globally with over 315,000 German tourists coming to Ireland between April and October 2023, reflecting the deep curiosity and warmth towards Ireland amongst German people.