John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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332. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the recent developments arising from the establishment, a number of years ago, of an office on Capel Street in Dublin which was staffed by police officers of the People's Republic of China with the apparent aim of monitoring Chinese citizens in Ireland; and if the Government is monitoring any attempts to establish other such offices in the State. [38661/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that it is not the practice of my Department to comment on the detail of specific security matters, nor would it be in the public interest to do so.

I am aware of the reports in 2022 relating to the presence of the so-called ‘Fuzhou Police Overseas Station’ in this jurisdiction.

As the Deputy may recall, the Department for Foreign Affairs raised the presence of this office with the Embassy of China in Ireland at that time, and also consulted with other relevant stakeholders in Government on this matter, following which the activities of the office in question ceased. I understand that the Department of Foreign Affairs continues to liaise with the Chinese Embassy to facilitate the provision of all relevant consular and citizen services to Chinese citizens in Ireland.

There is of course no question of an overseas police station providing a policing service in the State. An Garda Síochána is the national policing and security service and dedicates resources to protecting and vindicating the human rights of all individuals in the State. An Garda Síochána cooperates with established international policing networks on a human rights focussed basis, with all such policing activity and engagement subject to oversight and human rights compliance.

I can reassure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána would regard with the utmost seriousness any attempt by foreign governments to exercise control or carry out extra-judicial activities, including monitoring against individuals on Irish soil and the Gardaí work with partners on an ongoing basis to prevent any such attempts.