Advertisement

Readers like you keep news free for everyone.

More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.

Support us today
Not now
Thursday 23 March 2023 Dublin: 9°C

# DFA

Last year
2022
THE MORNING LEAD
Tuxedo rental and novelty socks: The €175k cost of the Govt's St Patrick's Day trips this year
A report by
Stephen McDermott
The annual junkets returned in March after a two-year hiatus.
Figures released under FOI show how the Government paid to promote Ireland abroad last March.
Members of Cabinet and over 40 civil servants visited 28 countries as part of the annual visits this year.
The total cost was around €85,000 cheaper than the last pre-Covid programme in 2019.
# 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.
# Surrogacy
Supreme Court to hear appeal in case brought by fathers seeking Irish passport for their son
The boy has UK citizenship, and it is his fathers’ wish that he get an Irish passport.
# 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.
# 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.
# Foreign Affairs
Richard O'Halloran says he felt abandoned by the Irish government while he was stuck in China
O’Halloran believes Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney “didn’t engage” with his case on the advice of senior advisors.
All time
# 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
# San Sebastian
Consular assistance being provided to family after Irish man drowns in Spain
The man’s body was recovered from the water at Zurriola beach early on Friday.
# 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.
# mandatory hotel quaratine
Irishman who can't come home for mother's funeral questions 'arbitrary' decision to add Puerto Rico to MHQ list
John Doherty has questioned why the country was added to the list while other US territories or the US itself were not.
# 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.
# beirut
Department of Foreign Affairs fielding 'a number of calls' from Irish citizens following Beirut blast
Irish peacekeeping troops are also stationed in Lebanon but have all been accounted for and are ‘safe’.
# Panama
Irish citizens confirmed on board cruise ship where four people have died from flu-like symptoms
Two people on board have reportedly been diagnosed with coronavirus.
# travel advice
‘High degree of caution’: Ireland upgrades travel warning for all EU countries
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney made the announcement on Twitter this evening.
# Coronavirus
Covid-19: 'Do not travel' to Lombardy and other isolated Italian regions, DFA warns
The new advice was issued today by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
# 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.
# Covid-19
Two Irish citizens test positive for coronavirus on cruise ship in Japan
The couple are understood to have tested positive for Covid-19 a number of days ago.
# Foreign Affairs
Diplomat rents, the rising dollar and a Brexit-inspired passport boom behind DFA request for extra €50 million
The Department also looked for €2 million to bolster Ireland’s bid to become a member of the UN Security Council.
# press crackdown
New York Times turned to Irish diplomats for help for journalist at risk of arrest in Egypt
This came after a tip off that US officials knew about the impending arrest and had chosen to “sit on the information”.
# Brexit
Over half a million people have applied for Irish passports so far this year
The Passport Office has been receiving more than 100,000 applications each month.
# Dubai
Irish woman killed in Dubai bus crash named as 27 year-old teacher from Dublin
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance.
# Brexit
Irish government publishes no-deal Brexit plans for transport, healthcare and consumer protection
The laws apply to a wide number of areas of Irish society.
# DFA
Irish in Paris urged to take caution and avoid certain areas as city braced for further protests
The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued an advisory to citizens in France.
# austin
Young Irishman dies after crash in Texas
It’s believed the man was from Dublin and was on holiday with friends.
# Holiday Plans
A missed wedding and missed phone calls: Passport Office apologises for delays
It is “a matter of immense frustration” for staff that it’s taking longer than planned to process some applications, the Public Accounts Committee has been told.
# Peace Talks
Independent Alliance won't be travelling to North Korea
Minister of State John Halligan has had a briefing with the Department of Foreign Affairs about the situation.
# Tragic
Irish man in his 30s dies while on honeymoon in the Maldives
The cause of the 30-year-old Dublin man’s death is unclear at present.
# Suicide Prevention
Former Console bosses asked to repay grants worth €150,000
The charity, which was liquidated last year, received the money to provide counselling services for Irish emigrants in the UK.
# gozo
Six-year-old Irish girl seriously injured in Malta
Maltese police said that the girl got into difficulty while swimming in a pool at a private residence.
# Drowning
Irish teenager drowns in Crete swimming pool
She was found unconscious in the pool.
# Australia
Irish woman charged with murder of Irish man who was stabbed to death in Sydney
The man was critically injured by a stab wound to his neck.
# surge in demand
One concrete benefit of Brexit: The Passport Office is hiring extra staff
230 temp staff are being hired to deal with the post-Brexit vote surge.
# unrest
Irish people told to avoid Gambia as West Africa troops prepare to move in
Yesterday a department official confirmed that it was making contact with “the very small number of Irish citizens” who were in the country.
# Agadir
Kildare woman killed in Morocco crash
The Department of Foreign Affairs is offering consular assistance to the woman’s family.
# practical
Charlie Flanagan's gift of choice? A bog oak pen
Politicians do write a lot.
# Foreign aid
Government to give Goal almost €4m following investigation into financial irregularities
Money had been withheld while the charity’s operations in Turkey and Syria were investigated.
# Foreign Affairs
Over 800 Irish people were caught up in major crises abroad in 2015
The Department of Foreign Affairs has released its annual report for 2015, which also highlights an increase in passports issued.
# Syria
Goal has closed down its US office and made 10 staff redundant
The aid agency, Ireland’s largest in the field, has confirmed to TheJournal.ie that it is terminating the contracts of 10 employees at Goal USA.
# Syria
Barry Andrews has resigned as head of Goal over US Government inquiry
The Department of Foreign Affairs says it is in contact with the Irish charity’s board.
# homa hoodfar
Minister called to intervene in case of Irish citizen detained in Iran
Homa Hoodfar (65) is a professor and anthropologist based in Canada and is an Irish citizen from her first marriage.