Ambassador O'Brien's letter to friends of embassy
News
01 April 202001 April 2020
Dear friends,
I am using the opportunity of the Embassy’s monthly newsletter, our Monatsbuch, to write to you at this time of concern in Ireland, Germany and right across the globe. Needless to say, all events at the Embassy and Consulate General in Frankfurt are postponed until further notice.
The situation that we now find ourselves in, unprecedented in our lifetimes, has made profound changes to our daily lives. Many of the things that we had grown accustomed to in our modern lifestyles, and in some cases perhaps, had taken for granted, are now cast in a new light.
The Embassy remains open with limited staff present and the remainder working from home. We will do our very best to continue providing the services needed by the Irish community here. Please note, however, that you should only come to the Embassy in case of an emergency and you must make an appointment in advance. If you wish to contact us, please call +4930220720 or email Berlinquerys@dfa.ie. Outside of normal office hours, Irish citizens who require emergency assistance can leave a message on the answering machine and a duty officer will revert to them. Our Consulate General in Frankfurt as well as our Honorary Consulates Generals in Hamburg, Bergisch-Gladbach, Munich and Stuttgart are still operating but strictly by appointment and should only be contacted in the case of urgent matters.
Please note our travel advice www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/germany/. You can sign up for update notifications with (@dfattravelwise). We would recommend that you follow the Embassy twitter account @irlembberlin and Facebook @irlembberlin account and you can register with us your presence in Germany, should we need to contact you in an emergency situation, via citizensregistration.dfa.ie. Please do continue to observe German Government guidelines during this time and be aware of the strict guidelines also in place in Ireland.
We also know that is a worrying time from an economic perspective and that we know that some members of the community have lost their jobs or sources of income. While everybody’s individual case is different, some may be able to benefit from supports put in the place by the German Government.
I am also deeply conscious as I write this that many of you are far from home and may be separated from your loved ones. We know that everybody is following events both in Germany and at home and that many will be worried. By working together and following the advice of the health authorities, we can best protect ourselves and our loved ones. Keep in touch with your loved ones wherever they may be and keep in touch with each other, but in the light of the current physical distancing measures, maintain that contact via modern technology. I would also highlight the important role that Irish societies and groups and the GAA are playing in information sharing. These are important community supports especially at this time.
This is a global challenge but one that we all, as responsible global citizens, unifying and working together on, will surely be able to overcome. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones.
Yours sincerely
Dr. Nicholas O’Brien
Ambassador