MORE than 1800 Irish citizens needed consular assistance while abroad last year newly released figures reveal.
In its Consular Assistance Overview for 2024, the Irish Government has confirmed that the number of consular cases dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs has increased for the third consecutive year
The Department provided consular assistance to 1,858 new cases in 2024, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin announced this week.
This figure does not include the “ongoing response to assist Irish citizens caught up in a series of major crises in the Middle East” the department has clarified.
This support given includes cases involving missing persons, serious injuries, arrests, victims of crime, mental health issues, and deaths abroad.
“Providing consular assistance to Irish citizens abroad is a cornerstone of the work of my department,” the Tánaiste said.
“Ensuring our citizens receive timely and empathetic support from our Embassies and Consulates worldwide is an absolute priority for me,” he added.
“This year, we have provided assistance in a number of complex cases, such as parental child abductions, and in regions where we have no physical presence.
“These cases are particularly challenging for citizens and their families.
“I would like to pay tribute to the hardworking staff in our missions overseas who, alongside colleagues based in the department’s headquarters in Dublin, provide round the clock assistance.
“This important work also includes authenticating over 56,000 Irish documents for business or personal use overseas, and over 2,900 civil letters of freedom issued to Irish citizens marrying abroad in 2024.”
Mr Martin also thanked key government partners who support the nation’s consular programme, including The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas, Crosscare, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, and Safe Home Ireland.
They “provide invaluable work in supporting citizens and their families who experience difficult and, in some cases, tragic situations overseas”, he said.
Throughout 2024 Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs responded to a range of global crises, where it was required to provide critical support to Irish citizens caught in conflict zones – including those in Gaza and Lebanon.
To date Ireland has evacuated 106 Irish citizens from Gaza and 28 citizens from Lebanon.
“A small number of Irish citizens and dependants remain in Gaza and my department, through our missions in the region, continues to advocate on behalf of those individuals that have not yet been able to leave,” Mr Martin said.
“All citizens that requested assistance to depart [Lebanon] were supported to do so,” he added.
“I strongly advise citizens to check the security status of their destination and understand the limitations of assistance in regions with travel warnings or no diplomatic presence,” he urged.