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Department of Foreign Affairs respond to 1,300 emergencies in 2010
Last updated on 04 Jan, 2011
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D., today again urged Irish citizens
planning trips abroad in 2011to obtain comprehensive travel insurance, including medical
insurance and also to exercise caution and take sensible precautions while overseas.
Overseasmedical and hospital costs can be very high and failure to take out adequate insurance or lack
of awareness of the specific conditions within insurance policies, can lead to considerable
financial and logistical difficulties for the traveller and his/her family should problems arise.
While Minister Martin stressed the need for Irish citizens to take personal responsibility for
their well being he also reiterated that the vast majority visits are abroad are trouble free.
Minister Martin said that the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2010 dealt with the numerous
requests for consular assistance and that our network of Embassies and Consulates were very
busy in responding to consular emergencies:
“In 2010, the Department has dealt with more than 1,310 serious consular emergencies (2009 total: 1,350) including deaths, arrests, accidents and hospitalisations. Included in that figure is the
assistance provided to the families of 204 people who died abroad (2009 total: 240). I would like to take this opportunity to extend my personal condolences to the families who suffered these
bereavements, often in tragic circumstances.
The Department also dealt with over 293 arrest cases in 2010 (2009 total: 319) and in addition provided all possible consular assistance following the earthquake in Haiti and the Volcanic Ash Crisis, which resulted in widespread transport disruption affecting thousands of Irish citizens throughout Europe.
The Department’s statistics show a great number of Irish citizens are finding themselves
in distressing situations while abroad, and travelling to ever more exotic and unusual
destinations. My Department’s website provides country specific travel advice on
http://www.dfa.ie. This website provides up to date and comprehensive travel advice on individual
countries based on the best information available from our Missions for Irish citizens
intending to travel overseas. The Department also takes into account the advice issued by
other liked-minded countries including Member States of the European Union.
There is also a facility on the website for Irish citizens to register their travel details which
enables our consular officials to contact them or their next of kin in case of a consular
emergency.
When travelling abroad it is always useful to make a note of the contact details of the nearest
Irish Mission/Embassy in the country they are visiting on http://www.dfa.ie and that in countries
where Ireland has no resident Mission, in times of emergency, they can seek consular
assistance from any EU Mission in that country. I encourage Irish citizens to respect local
laws and customs, avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and be aware that the use of
drugs can and does result in death—at the very least, purchase or possession of drugs can
result in arrest and long terms in imprisonment, sometimes in dangerous locations in distant
countries.
Finally, I would like to wish all Irish citizens travelling overseas in 2011 to have enjoyable
trips and I strongly recommend that their travel insurance adequately cover all their travel
options.”