Written answers

Thursday, 21 April 2011

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Irish Communities Abroad

5:00 pm

Photo of Dominic HanniganDominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 45: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens registered with the Irish consulate in Bahrain; the number of Irish citizens estimated to be in Bahrain; the steps being taken to ensure that all Irish citizens are registered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8919/11]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Department is aware of around 360 Irish citizens in Bahrain. The Department's travel advice for Bahrain strongly advises Irish citizens to register their details with the Irish Embassy in Riyadh, which is accredited to Bahrain. Registration is voluntary and citizens can register by completing a travel registration form on the Department's website www.dfa.ie. The information submitted is passed to the Irish Embassy in Riyadh.

The Honorary Consul in Bahrain also passes the details of Irish citizens of whom he is aware to the Embassy in Riyadh. The Irish Embassy in Riyadh is in regular contact with Irish citizens in Bahrain and on 22-23 February 2011, a Consular Officer from Embassy Riyadh visited Bahrain to meet with members of the Irish Society of Bahrain, major employers of Irish citizens in Bahrain and longstanding members of the Irish community there. In the course of these meetings, arrangements were made to circulate widely, through various channels, a citizen registration form which could be completed and emailed or faxed directly to the Irish Embassy in Riyadh.

The Embassy subsequently issued a number of advisory notices to citizens in Bahrain, providing them with updates on the security situation. In all such notices, the Embassy encouraged citizens to register. I strongly encourage citizens travelling or living overseas, including in Bahrain, to register with the Department. Registration enables the Department to contact citizens more quickly in the event of an emergency and allows us to make provision for citizens resident abroad in our contingency planning.

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