Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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130. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail the procedure in place in circumstances where a person alleges unlawful detention in the United States and where consular support was not possible to seek due to a lack of access by virtue of the nature of the detention. [43748/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

The provision of consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad, including in cases of detention, is a cornerstone of the work of officials in my Department. I place a strong emphasis on ensuring that Irish citizens receive timely and empathetic consular assistance in accordance with the Department’s Consular Assistance Charter. The Charter sets out the type of assistance citizens can expect to receive should they get into difficulty abroad www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/assistance-abroad/consular-assistance-charter/.

Where a citizen is detained in another State, including in the United States of America, and requests that their nearest Embassy/Consulate be informed of their detention, the State concerned should do so without delay, as set out in Article 36 (B) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963. The State should also inform the citizen concerned without delay of their rights under Article 36 (B).

Where this does not happen, citizens can contact their nearest Embassy/Consulate at the earliest opportunity to review the facts of the case and determine the most appropriate action, of which may including formal engagement with the relevant local authorities regarding the provision of consular assistance. In the event that a citizen is not in a position to request consular assistance, a family member or friend can do so on their behalf. Moreover, if an individual believes that they were unlawfully detained, they are strongly advised to seek local expert legal advice on the matter. Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates worldwide can provide advice and guidance on this, including sharing a list of English-speaking lawyers where necessary.

Should any citizen require consular assistance while abroad, they can contact the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate, or the Consular Assistance Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin. The contact details for Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates, and the Consular Assistance Unit are available here: www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/assistance-abroad/.