‘Very difficult’ to tell citizens ‘who want to do more’ to shelter – Minister

The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs has said it is “very difficult” to tell citizens currently in Gulf states to follow advice “on the ground” when they “want to do more”.

Helen McEntee said hundreds more people have registered with Irish authorities since the escalation in the conflict in the Middle East over the weekend.

Speaking outside Government Buildings in Dublin on Monday morning, she said there could be up to 22,000 Irish citizens living in the wider region.

She reiterated advice to them to to “stay sheltered”, check directly with airlines if they intend to travel and register with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

She said: “The most important thing is for people on the ground to follow the advice that has been given in the region.

“That advice is coming directly from UAE authorities, from the authorities within the various different regions.

“I appreciate that that’s a very difficult statement to make when people feel like they want to do more, they want to be able to do more.

“But at the moment, because of the uncertainty, because of the challenges, it is important that the advice that is there to stay indoors, to stay sheltered, that people follow that advice.”

She said the register being compiled by her department is to get a “complete picture” or Irish people in the region and not a tool to distribute information.

“What we’re asking, is for people to keep an eye on and to engage with their social media platforms, with the Department of Foreign Affairs website, because that is where we are updating the information.

“By registering, it does not mean that we’re sending information to you.”

Ms McEntee said Government officials are “engaging with” EU and UK counterparts on evacuation plans.

She said: “I really appreciate just how difficult and distressing it is for so many people, not just for the residents, but you have hundreds of people who are transiting through their holidays are now stuck within the region.

“Airspace has been closed for the most part, and that has meant that no citizens from any country, including Ireland, have been able to leave the area.

“We know that today there are a small number of flights that have taken off from Abu Dhabi, but we do not know whether or not that will continue in the days ahead, but we’re in close communication with the airlines and with the airports.

“Should this happen, the other airports have made it clear to us that they will not be opening today, potentially tomorrow, but again, we will keep people updated.”

The issue had been discussed at an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers yesterday.

“We all agreed that there needs to be close coordination so that if any member states find themselves in a position of being able to remove their citizens from the country, from the region, that we are all working together in that regard.”

She said a contingency plan to evacuate citizens had been worked on over the weekend.

Acknowledging Ireland has charted evacuation flights in the past, she said that would be a preferred option and that “we will have everything and have everything now in place, should that possibility arise.”

She added: “I really do appreciate many, many people want to get home, want to get out of the region.”

Ms McEntee said she was aware of people attempting to leave the area via overland routes and is considering that as a potential evacuation route.

“I appreciate that there are some people that are looking to travel on land to other countries, for example, like Oman and we are assessing at the moment how safe that is.

“It is very difficult to encourage people to travel, but maybe an eight or nine-hour journey where things are evolving so quickly.

“But of course, we are keeping all of this under consideration.”