Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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41.To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure all Irish citizens are entitled to the same type of intervention from the Government; the reason a person (details supplied) was explicitly informed by him that the Government could only offer the person and their two children consular assistance; and the reason the person’s children are not entitled to the same type of intervention from his Department, given they are Irish, as is their parent. [31991/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs provides consular assistance to all Irish citizens within the remit of its Consular Assistance Charter. The Charter sets out the type of assistance that Irish citizens can expect from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates worldwide, should they get into difficulty overseas. The Department is committed to providing responsive, professional and supportive consular assistance and does so confidentially. Further information on the assistance the Department of Foreign Affairs can provide to Irish citizens in difficulty overseas is available at the following link: www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/assistance-abroad/

I fully appreciate that the circumstances of the case raised by the Deputy are difficult for all concerned. Officials in my Department have been in regular contact with the Irish citizen in this case and are continuing to provide consular assistance. A senior official has been appointed as their dedicated case manager and is in very regular contact with them.

I have met with the citizen in November 2023 to discuss their case and I continue to engage with my officials on the case. I have raised the case on a number of occasions with my counterpart in the relevant jurisdiction, most recently in April of this year. I have expressed my keen desire to see a timely resolution to the case, one that is grounded in the best interests of the children.

Additionally, there has been sustained engagement at a local level with the relevant authorities. Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, have regularly engaged with the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other missions to gather advice and expertise on how best to support the Irish citizen. The Irish Ambassador has very recently met with the citizen to discuss their case. Following this meeting, the Embassy has followed up with the relevant authorities on the case to further assist the citizen.

The country in question is not a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. As a result, in cases of dispute or unlawful removal, there is no international system in place containing a practical mechanism for the return of children. Departmental and Embassy officials have advised the citizen, since the case began, to engage the services of a local lawyer who can best advise on the laws as they pertain to the jurisdiction in question and who can advocate on their behalf. The citizen has appointed a lawyer and is engaging with the legal process in the jurisdiction in question and I welcome this.

My officials will continue to support the citizen where possible and appropriate, and will ensure that they are updated regularly on any developments.