The Department of Foreign Affairs will have handed 28,000 assistance requests by year end, up 12pc from 2024, including a record number of Irish popes deaths while on holiday abroad. The department was allocated €2m from the 2026 budget for consular upgrades, including training for 200 staff on mental health protocols.
The department reported record interventions in death-related incidents overseas, including a surge in mental health distress among travellers. Forum sessions examined collaborative frameworks for rapid response, information sharing between agencies and private partners.
Minister of State Neale Richmond told the annual Consular Forum at Iveagh House that enhanced international coordination was going to be required to handle geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and health outbreaks that impacted Irish expatriates and tourists.
His address covered crisis planning, response, and consular assistance amid recent worldwide emergencies.
The event drew participants from the European External Action Service, the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the US Department of State, EU member states, diplomatic partners, government departments, non-governmental organisations, and the travel sector. Richmond outlined the complexities of supporting Irish citizens abroad, with travel patterns shifting to more distant and frequent destinations, leading to a rise in consular cases.
The gathering reviewed lessons from 2025 crises, such as evacuations in conflict zones and support for those affected by extreme weather in Europe and Asia. Attendees discussed integration of digital tools for passport services and emergency alerts via the Travelwise advice app, which reached 500,000 users in the past year.
Swedish representatives shared models for dual-nationality support, while US officials detailed joint operations from the previous summer’s Mediterranean migrant routes. The event concluded with commitments to quarterly bilateral meetings and a joint exercise in spring 2026 simulating a mass evacuation scenario.
Minister Richmond appealed to travel agents to promote awareness of consular limits under the Passports Act. The department is developing a strategy for the EU’s consular roadmap.
