IRELAND:Irish citizens caught up in a major crisis or emergency overseas will now be able to avail of the services of a Consular Crisis Centre, which was formally launched by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern in Dublin yesterday.
The centre, located in Hainault House, near the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters on St Stephen's Green, is being established to assist citizens who find themselves in the middle of a newly-erupted conflict, natural disaster or terrorist outrage.
In the event of a major emergency, the centre will be activated by the department as a 24-hour communications and control facility.
The centre will co-ordinate Ireland's response to crises abroad that affect Irish citizens, maintaining communication links with the relevant area of operations as well as with other EU capitals, and handling calls from the public relating to family members caught up in these emergencies.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Ahern said the centre "will be available at the drop of a hat. It will be here working during any of these crises when we decide that whatever situation arises is a crisis."
He added: "No stone will be left unturned in order to try and assist our people abroad."
