Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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181. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has created contingency plans to help Irish citizens in the US should they be deported by the Trump administration to imprisonment in El Salvador. [40635/25]

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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182. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there are response plans in place to assist Irish citizens in the US should they be deported by the Trump administration to a third country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40636/25]

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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183. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is aware of the number of Irish citizens are currently detained by ICE in the United States; if his Department is aware of where these citizens are being held; if they have been able to provide consular assistance to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40637/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 181, 182 and 183 together.

I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this matter with me. The provision of consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad is a cornerstone of the work of my Department. My officials, including in our Embassies and Consulates worldwide, place a strong emphasis on ensuring that Irish citizens receive timely and empathetic consular assistance all year round.

The provision of consular assistance is at the request of the citizen or, where the citizen cannot request such assistance, by a family member or friend. As such, there are many instances where a citizen gets into difficulty abroad, including a detention or deportation, and does not request consular assistance. In these cases, my Department and/or an Irish Embassy/Consulate may not necessarily be aware of their detention or impending deportation.

I can confirm that the number of citizens who have requested assistance in relation to deportation from the United States of America in the year to date is 43. This number includes both those who have already been deported and those who are still going through the deportation process, which may include being held in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It is important to note that this figure only relates to cases where a citizen or their family has requested consular assistance and does not necessarily reflect all deportations to Ireland or where a citizen is currently being detained by ICE.

Where a citizen does request consular assistance, whether that is in the United States of America or a third country, my officials will strive to ensure that all possible assistance can be provided in accordance with the Department’s Consular Assistance Charter. As with all consular cases, where a citizen is facing deportation and requests consular assistance, my officials will review the facts of each case to determine the most appropriate advice and assistance that they can provide. Where a citizen does request consular assistance as a result of an impending deportation, my officials can assist with providing information on the deportation arrangements, contacting family/friends at the request of the citizen and providing a list of English-speaking lawyers. The aforementioned is not an exhaustive list of the type of assistance my officials can provide. The Deputy can find further information on the type of assistance my Department can provide in deportation cases and other cases categories at this link: www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/assistance-abroad/.

I want to assure the Deputy that my officials stand ready to provide all possible consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad.