# Department of Foreign Affairs

All time

# Covid-19

Irish citizens advised to avoid travelling to areas in Italy affected by coronavirus

A fifth person has died from Covid-19 today in Italy.

41.3k

Feb 24th 2020, 11:13 AM

# Covid-19

Passengers start to leave cruise ship in Japan as coronavirus quarantine ends

Two Irish citizens who were on the cruise ship tested positive for coronavirus.

12.9k

Feb 19th 2020, 7:04 AM

# Covid-19

Two Irish citizens test positive for coronavirus on cruise ship in Japan

The couple are understood to have tested positive for Covid-19 a number of days ago.

60.9k

Feb 18th 2020, 4:01 PM

# Covid-19

'Small number' of Irish people on two cruise ships where coronavirus detected, Coveney says

The Diamond Princess ship docked in Japan has more than 450 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

17.0k

Feb 18th 2020, 9:06 AM

# Outbreak

Human-to-human transmission of coronavirus outside China is worrying, says WHO

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said “there is no evidence to suggest that any Irish citizen has contracted the virus”.

46.5k

Updated

Jan 29th 2020, 9:50 PM

# China

Irish people now advised to avoid entire province of Hubei due to coronavirus

The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised people to avoid the province of Hubei.

18.3k

Jan 27th 2020, 2:55 PM

# irish citizenship

People have been asking the Irish government what the DeSouza ruling means for them

“This is unacceptable. I don’t want to be a British citizen,” one person who wrote to the Taoiseach argued.

45.0k

Jan 4th 2020, 8:00 AM

# crisis abroad

Over 1,700 Irish citizens abroad required help due to arrests, kidnappings and deaths in 2019, figures show

Some citizens required supports during Hong Kong protests and terrorists attacks in Kenya.

11.0k

Jan 1st 2020, 6:00 AM

# 1990

Irish officials were worried European leaders would refuse to attend meetings in hotels

The Department of Foreign Affairs warned it could cost £2 million to hire private facilities for meetings during Ireland’s EC presidency.

25.3k

Dec 29th 2019, 10:45 AM

# garda questioning

Explainer: What happens next in the Lisa Smith case?

How long can she be questioned by gardaí, and is she likely to face charges?

33.5k

Dec 2nd 2019, 2:35 PM

# repatriated

Return of Lisa Smith at a 'very, very sensitive time', says Kehoe

Smith will undergo a security assessment when she returns to Ireland, it was reported earlier this month.

27.9k

111

Nov 28th 2019, 5:35 PM

# Passport Service

Passport Service 'closing down avenues' of fraud with over 300 passports revoked since 2016

The Passport Service has invested “substantial resources” in tackling fraud since 2017.

18.3k

Oct 5th 2019, 7:15 AM

# Farmleigh House

Emails highlight confusion at Dublin City Council over unexpected change to Africa Day

It added that an offer of funding was made by the Department of Foreign Affairs in March 2019, “at which stage Dublin City Council had finalised the local Africa Day programme”.

18.6k

Jul 6th 2019, 7:00 AM

# letters from america

Government told that Occupied Territories Bill could affect immigration status of Irish in US

Fine Gael voted against the Bill, which passed second stage in the Dáil this year.

27.2k

123

May 18th 2019, 12:05 AM

# handle the pressure

€13 million contract for new IT system and 230 new staff as Passport Service aims to cope with demand

It comes as part of the passport reform programme and, despite the rise in complaints in recent years, Coveney is confident it’ll make a difference.

36.1k

Apr 22nd 2019, 6:30 AM

# anti-lgbt

Ireland revises travel advice to Brunei after harsh sharia laws are implemented

The new laws include death by stoning for adultery and gay sex, and amputation of hands and feet for thieves.

36.2k

128

Apr 6th 2019, 9:30 AM

# Ireland connected

Business-class flights and 5-star hotels: Here's how much the Government spent on St Patrick's Day trips in 2018

Figures obtained under FOI show how each Department spent on St Patrick’s Day last year.

38.3k

Mar 9th 2019, 12:05 AM

# EU passports

The post-Brexit Irish passport boom in Britain is not slowing down

Applications for Irish passports in Britain and Northern Ireland made up 22% of all Irish passport applications in 2018.

50.0k

Dec 31st 2018, 6:00 AM

# DFA

Irish in Paris urged to take caution and avoid certain areas as city braced for further protests

The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued an advisory to citizens in France.

24.2k

Dec 7th 2018, 9:40 PM

# FOI

'Moronic', 'odious', 'vile': How public expressed anger at Tánaiste's claim that Donald Trump is not racist

Emails released under the Freedom of Information Act show how the public reacted to a now-postponed visit by Trump to Ireland.

45.6k

Oct 31st 2018, 12:05 AM

# Passport Office

Parents to be able to renew their children's passports online by end of the year

Significant improvements are planned at the Passport Office.

16.9k

Oct 13th 2018, 7:15 AM

# UN peacekeeping

Return of 119 troops from Syria delayed for two weeks over error in clearance to travel through Lebanon

The issue emerged on Monday morning as the troops were preparing to return from UN peacekeeping.

13.5k

Oct 3rd 2018, 4:09 PM

# Cyprus

Irish Malyali community 'in shock' over death of student (20s) following balcony fall in Cyprus

The woman is understood to have been killed after she fell from a building at the University of Nicosia in north Cyprus.

32.9k

Sep 28th 2018, 2:51 PM

# washed up

Tánaiste orders Department to assist with investigation into beaked whale deaths

Since the beginning of August, a minimum of 19 Cuvier’s beaked whales washed up dead on the Irish coast.

11.9k

Sep 15th 2018, 7:15 AM

# Border poll

Department accused of wanting to delay report on the cost of a united Ireland until 'after Brexit'

The new research shows that Northern Ireland would have a near balanced budget in a unification situation.

38.2k

Jul 25th 2018, 6:05 AM

# playa de muro

Irish teen dies after falling from hotel balcony in Majorca

It is believed the boy fell up to 20ft from the balcony in a freak accident.

97.0k

Jul 19th 2018, 1:14 PM

# rapid response

'It's a job like no other': Irish experts who help respond to humanitarian crises

Irish people have responded to emergencies in Iraq, Libya and Africa, to name a few.

11.9k

May 15th 2018, 6:30 PM

# Interpol

Diplomatic immunity to be extended to foreign attendees of Dublin Interpol conference

Attendees from 50 different countries will be attending the conference in May.

16.0k

May 6th 2018, 7:00 AM

# mendoza

Irish man has charges dropped in exchange for 'reparation' after allegedly groping Argentinian street vendor

The alleged incident involving the 20-year-old Irish man happened last Monday, 30 April, in the city of Mendoza.

24.3k

May 6th 2018, 6:00 AM

# Tit for tat

‘No justification for this’ - An Irish diplomat is to be expelled from Russia

A spokesperson for Simon Coveney said it is a “regrettable” decision from the Russians.

60.3k

172

Mar 30th 2018, 3:32 PM

# Australia

Irish person injured by car driven into crowd on busy street in Melbourne

The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance.

24.4k

Dec 21st 2017, 6:31 PM

# security fears

Green light for €40 million hotel at Stephen's Green despite government department objections

The appeals board said that the hotel would not adversely affect the character of the historic buildings nearby.

24.6k

Dec 11th 2017, 9:14 AM

# Mount Agung

Bali volcano alert: Government advising Irish citizens as thousands flee homes

Mount Agung has been spewing ash for a number of days.

24.4k

Nov 27th 2017, 4:54 PM

# Chris Donoghue

Broadcaster Chris Donoghue to leave Newstalk for government job alongside Simon Coveney

Donoghue has been a member of the Newstalk roster for 14 years, and was appointed as group political editor for Communicorp less than three months ago.

44.4k

143

Nov 18th 2017, 10:34 AM