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Thursday 23 March 2023 Dublin: 11°C

# Department of Foreign Affairs

Last month
February 2023
# Diplomatic Ireland
Foreign crises: Inside the complex work of the Irish diplomatic team helping citizens in trouble
This week The Journal looked at the work of the consular assistance service provided by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Last year
2022
# Capel Street
Chinese ‘police station’ in Dublin ordered to close
The Department of Foreign Affairs said no request had been made to open the facility in advance.
# Foreign Affairs
Breakfasts, photos & cancelled hotels: how Government spent almost €500k on travel in two years
The highest spender was the Department of Foreign Affairs, spending €166,553 on foreign travel since the Government was formed.
# passport problems
'Spare me the apologies': Delays and missing birth certs among complaints about Passport Office
Details of people’s experiences after applying for a passport were released under FOI.
# Courts
Extinction Rebellion activists guilty of graffiti attack on Dept of Foreign Affairs
The two activists were spared jail sentences but both have to pay €2,000 fine and a further €2,000 to the State.
# Simon Coveney
Coveney praises Poland's 'incredible solidarity' during visit to discuss Ukraine
Coveney will meet his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau and speak to humanitarian organisations assisting those fleeing the war.
# Ukrainian Ambassador
List of Irish companies ‘trading with Russia’ sent to Foreign Affairs Department
Ambassador Gerasko said she is awaiting a reply from President Zelenskyy on an offer to address the Oireachtas.
# St Patrick's Day
Global Greening paused this year so monuments around the world can be lit in Ukrainian colours
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has written to all Irish embassies asking for monuments to be lit up in yellow and blue.
# Racheal Diyaolu
Irish medical student who was stuck in Ukraine has reached EU border
Racheal Diyaolu’s sister Christiana confirmed the news on social media.
# families
Babies born in Ukraine through surrogacy may be brought back to Ireland more quickly than usual
The Department of Foreign Affairs is working with parents whose babies are due to be born soon in Ukraine, where tensions with Russia are high.
# Kyiv Embassy
Department of Foreign Affairs says 145 Irish citizens now registered with embassy in Ukraine
The department said that this number “may rise further over the coming days”.
# Kyiv Embassy
50 Irish citizens register with embassy in Ukraine after being urged to leave country immediately
Ukraine today vowed to keep its airspace open to international travel.
# travel advice
Irish citizens in Ukraine told to 'leave immediately by commercial means'
The Embassy of Ireland in Kyiv is to remain open for a small number of staff.
The Embassy of Ireland in Kyiv is to remain open for a small number of staff.
A number of countries, including Russia, have been pulling embassy staff from the Ukrainian capital.
US President Joe Biden is due to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin later today.
Putin slams Western 'provocation' as he holds almost 3 hrs of calls with Biden and Macron
Moscow meeting: Lavrov 'disappointed' with talks as Truss asks for 'Cold War rhetoric' to be dropped
# champagne gate
Coveney says Foreign Affairs gathering was 'a serious mistake that shouldn't have happened'
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said the review of the gathering published last night is “insufficient” and called for an independent investigation.
# Foreign Affairs
DFA secretary general gave staff go-ahead to gather 'in the thick of it' to watch UN vote
The go-ahead was communicated in an email from Niall Burgess’s private secretary the day before the gathering.
# Consular Assistance
Irish embassies provided help to over 1,200 citizens abroad last year
Figures released by the Department of Foreign Affairs show that 108 Irish citizens were evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021.
# Foreign Affairs
Simon Coveney orders investigation into department lockdown gathering
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has ordered an investigation into a gathering of his officials in June 2020.
All time
# champagne problems
Department of Foreign Affairs ‘let guard down’ in lockdown gathering
At least 20 officials and staff were pictured celebrating with champagne in an event at Iveagh House on 17 June 2020.
# head count
Government spent €28,500 on four busts of John Hume 'to promote Ireland's political interests'
The busts were bought on behalf of the State’s diplomatic network.
# Ambassadors
22 new Irish ambassadors and senior diplomats have been approved; 11 are women
Nine consuls general are also to be appointed in the UK, US, India, Canada and France.
# Passports
'Pent-up demand' could see a record 1.75m passport applications to process next year
The number of passports has never even reached 1 million in a year before.
# omicron
Repatriation flight for 156 people arrives in Ireland from Morocco
Morocco has banned all incoming flights for at least two weeks.
# grounded
Repatriation flight arranged for Irish citizens following flight suspensions in Morocco
Flights to and from Morocco have been suspended until at least 13 December over Omicron fears.
# Irish in Ethiopia
Irish citizens advised to leave Ethiopia 'immediately'
Ethiopian authorities indicated that the decision was due to Ireland’s position on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis there
# document drop
Zapponegate: Ex-Minister texted Coveney to say thanks for 'incredible opportunity' in March
111 documents released by Coveney’s department today shed more light on the timeline of the process.
Coveney is due back before an Oireachtas committee tomorrow morning and has promised to answer questions on the documents.
Texts released today add further detail to the timeline surrounding the planned appointment of Zappone to the UN envoy role.
The document dump also includes a text from Zappone in the aftermath of the Merrion-gate controversy.
Taoiseach must 'stamp his authority' and put an end to Zappone row, Fianna Fáil TD says
Explainer: Why are people still talking about the Zappone/Coveney/Varadkar controversy?
# Irish in Afghanistan
Three more Irish people evacuated from Afghanistan
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that a total of six Irish citizens have now left the country.
# extinction rebellion
Climate activist spared trial over graffiti attack on government building
Extinction Rebellion Ireland members staged a protest outside the courthouse in support of Orla Murphy.
# Diplomatic Immunity
Foreign diplomats have avoided prosecution for road traffic offences 12 times in the last two years
The diplomats were nabbed by gardaí across the country but granted immunity from prosecution.
Niall O'Connor's report looks at the amount of times diplomats have escaped traffic fines by using their diplomatic immunity.
The foreign embassy staff members were nabbed by gardaí across the country but granted immunity from prosecution.
According to documents obtained by The Journal, the Department of Foreign Affairs were notified 17 times either by gardaí or by embassies.
# Passport Office
Woman's passport renewal in limbo after a five-month Covid delay, a tech glitch and 'no one to help'
The Galway woman is planning to leave the country next month, and has waited five months for her 10-year-old son’s passport to be renewed.
# Iveagh House
Man and woman charged after government building in Dublin city covered in graffiti
Graffiti was daubed on the front of Iveagh House, the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs, earlier today.
# Passports
Department of Foreign Affairs dismisses worker for issuing fraudulent passports after five-year paid suspension
The worker was eventually dismissed in December 2019 after the suspension.
# Department of Foreign Affairs
Number of Irish passports issued this year fell by 60%
The most popular baby girls’ names were Olivia, Mia and Saoirse, while Noah, Adam and Cillian topped the baby boys’ list.
# Lagos
Minister Simon Coveney calls on Nigerian authorities to investigate violence against protesters
Amnesty International said that at least 12 peaceful protesters were killed in an incident involving the Nigerian army this week.
# Repatriation
Government received over 20,000 queries from Irish citizens abroad during Covid-19 pandemic
Irish government spent €890,000 on flights to repatriate citizens from Peru, India and Nigeria this year.
# green list
Travel agents warn list 'could invalidate insurance' for flights previously booked to green locations
The much-anticipated ‘green list’ of countries was published last night.
# Australia
Medics among 170 Irish citizens travelling from Perth back to Ireland today
There are around 2,000 Irish citizens stranded in 83 countries around the world – most of these are in Australia.
# stranded abroad
'This eclipses the shutdowns following 9/11': The battle to get 2,000 Irish citizens home
The majority of stranded Irish citizens are in Australia or New Zealand, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
# Coronavirus
Irish citizen stranded in Peru: 'We'll figure out how to get the money for flights home'
The Irish government is gauging interest from the estimated 100 Irish people on who want to fly home this weekend.
# not going green
Countries around the world are assessing Covid-19's impact on St Patrick's Day celebrations
In some countries, St Patrick’s Day events have already been cancelled.
# Covid-19
Coronavirus spreads to southern Italy as Switzerland, Austria and Croatia report cases
Here at home the National Public Health Emergency Team is meeting to monitor the situation and advance preparedness plans.