2019 saw 1,700 cases of Irish citizens requesting consular assistance abroad

Press release

In 2019, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our mission network supported over 1,700 Irish citizens caught up in major incidents overseas; including terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka and Kenya, protests in Hong Kong as well as political instability in South America.

Reflecting on the end of year figures, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D., said:

“Irish citizens continue to travel more often and more widely than ever before – meaning a greater frequency and complexity of consular cases. This presents ever-growing challenges in providing assistance for Irish citizens who get into difficulty overseas.

“I recommend that all citizens consult the Department’s travel advice before travelling. Our travel advice. - which is constantly updated - is available on our website www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/ and our Twitter account @DFATravelwise.  Thousands of people also rely on our free smartphone app, TravelWise, which gives immediate access to our travel advice and contact information for every Irish Embassy and Consulate.”

Throughout 2019, the Department provided preventative outreach information to citizens encouraging them to adopt safe travel practices. These include purchasing comprehensive travel insurance and downloading the Department’s innovative smartphone app, TravelWise.  In particular, the Department ran a consular communications campaign before and during the Rugby World Cup in Japan, which saw over 30,000 Irish citizens visit the region over the period.

The Tánaiste stressed the importance of comprehensive travel insurance:

“While most journeys overseas go smoothly, the 2019 statistics show that things can and do go wrong and that it is important to be prepared.  As people consider travel plans for the year ahead, I urge them to get comprehensive travel insurance. Anyone travelling to Europe should also carry the ‘EHIC’ European Health Insurance Card, while those going to higher-risk countries should register their travel details with us online.

“I greatly appreciate the efforts of our network of 94 Honorary Consuls in 60 countries, and the assistance they provide to Irish citizens. Our Honorary Consuls complement the work of our embassies and consulates in providing vital frontline services.

“I also want to acknowledge the great work done by our partner organisations including the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas in assisting citizens who find themselves in distress.”

The staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Consular office in Dublin, in our 80 embassies and consulates-general, and in our 94 Honorary Consuls around the world supported citizens in a wide variety of situations, including natural disasters, arrests, imprisonments, missing persons, serious injury, and mental illness.  Over 260 families required the support of the Department following the death of a loved one abroad. A significant number of cases required assistance over an extended period.  At any one time, the Department’s Consular Assistance team is working on over 150 active cases.

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