Department of Foreign Affairs

(1) Role of Consular Assistance in supporting victims of crime
(2) What you can expect from our Embassy/Consular Assistance Services
(3) What the Consular Assistance Unit Cannot Do
(4) If we do not meet your expectations
(5) How to contact us

The Department of Foreign Affairs offers supports for Irish victims of crime abroad and for their families.

This section of the Victims Charter is in recognition of Irish victims of violent crime abroad and their family members, and in particular in memory of Danielle McLaughlin, Buncrana, Co. Donegal.

As with victims of crime in Ireland, victims of crime abroad, and their families in Ireland, can avail of a range of help and supports here.

Staff in the Consular Assistance Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and in our Embassies and Consulates overseas, receive specialist training. They are also experienced in dealing with issues that arise in relation to victims of crime abroad, including murder, violent or traumatic crime.

The Consular Assistance Unit, working with our Embassies and Consulates overseas, can maintain contact with victims of crime abroad, and their families, and provide advice and support where possible and as appropriate.

Where appropriate, they will also provide details of specialist services in Ireland, such as those arranged by Advic and Support after Homicide. These are both well established national organisations which provide confidential support to people whose lives have been affected by homicide.

Advic is a service run by people who have been bereaved by homicide. It provides a professional counselling service, peer support and a range of practical supports.

Support after Homicide is a national voluntary organisation. It offers emotional support and other practical information to people whose lives have been affected by homicide. This support is provided by professionally trained volunteers in responding to needs of such bereaved by homicide.

Where an Irish citizen has died abroad, the Consular Assistance Unit can also, if required, provide information about repatriation services (services to return home the remains of the deceased). This includes information about the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, a charity which helps families whose loved ones died outside the island of Ireland.

If you are a victim of a violent or traumatic crime abroad, we will work with our Embassies and Consulates to:

• respond quickly to your call and offer support and advice in a sensitive, compassionate manner
• offer language and cultural advice and support
• offer advice about how local authorities work in the relevant country and who to contact
• direct you to local supports, where appropriate, in the relevant country
• provide a list of local English-speaking lawyers
• help you in dealing with the local police
• contact your family or friends on your behalf, if you would like us to do so
• safeguard your information in full compliance with Ireland’s Data Protection legislation
• not release information about your situation, even to your family, if you do not wish us to

If you are the victims of a sexual offence, we will also:

• respond with particular sensitivity
• provide a consular staff member of the same gender, if possible
• accompany you to a medical facility to offer support, if possible
• give you details about any local support organisations for victims of sexual offences, as well as details of support services at home in Ireland
• help you in reporting the offence to the local authorities (for example, local police)
• Contact your family or friends, provided you wish us to do so

If you are the victim of a stolen passport, we will:

• help you get an Emergency Travel Document, assisting you to return home.

• provide medical or legal advice
• interfere in judicial processes such as court proceedings
• influence the visa decisions of other countries
• deal with commercial or insurance disputes.

The Unit does not have a budget for medical, legal or other expenses.

The Consular Assistance Charter provides further information on the advice and support we can provide to Irish Citizens in distress abroad, along with the values and commitments we strive to uphold when providing this support.

Consular Assistance is available and accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. During office hours, our number is +353 (0)1 408 2527. In case of an emergency, the out-of-hours number is +353 (0)1 408 2000.

We also offer worldwide assistance through our Embassies and Consulates

We also provide clear, reliable and up-to-date travel advice for over 200 countries worldwide. This information is available on our website and on Twitter @dfatravelwise.

If we do not meet your expectations and you would like to ask a question, or make a suggestion or a complaint about our consular assistance service, you can contact us.

Address: : Consular Assistance, Department of Foreign Affairs, Knockmaun House 42-47 Lower Mount Street Dublin 2.

Tel during office hours: +353 (0)1 408 2527

Tel outside office hours: +353 (0)1 408 2000.

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/assistance-abroad/