Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of national importance, namely, the need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to respond to the urgent need to provide consular assistance to an Irish citizen and her family. Having been struck down with a severe illness while in Vietnam, she and her family face enormous daily medical costs, including the cost of transfer home by air ambulance, which costs are beyond her and her family. Given our bilateral aid relationship with Vietnam it is essential that the consular services address this urgent situation as an emergency and seek in this regard the assistance of the Vietnamese Government in resolving this matter and also make contact with the Vietnamese ambassador in London.

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