Gallery – Amsterdam GAC | Irish Football, Hurling & Camogie Team

3 weeks ago

🚨Another message from Ambassador Kelly to the Irish Community in the Netherlands🚨

A Chairde,

It has been some time since my last update, but I hope that you have all been keeping well and are managing to deal with the new restrictions posed by COVID-19 at home and at work. Although we are experiencing the same changeable Dutch weather, so far I’m sure you will all agree that it has been a summer like no other. Your embassy is still here however, coping with the new normal, and working with the Dutch and other EU partners in The Hague to find innovative ways to maintain our bilateral and multilateral relations. I am happy to say that under the new German presidency of the EU, which started on 1st July, we are gradually beginning to have more ‘face-to-face’ meetings with our Dutch and international interlocutors, although in different formats and larger physical spaces to allow for appropriate distancing.

The travel advice in and for Ireland remains the same for now. Those living in Ireland are advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad until further notice and all those entering Ireland from abroad (including myself this coming weekend!) are required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. For additional information on the requirements in place for those travelling to Ireland, please see www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/travel.html. An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, has stated the government’s intent to work with the HSE to prepare a ‘Green List’ of countries and hope to publish it on 20 July. Anyone travelling to Ireland from a green list country will not be required to restrict their movements on arrival. Decisions regarding which countries will be put on the ‘Green List’ will be based on the spread of Covid-19 in that country and this list will be reviewed every 2 weeks.

All those travelling to Ireland from a green list country should follow the social distancing rules and other public health guidelines in place there. For more information on the current guidelines in place, please see www.gov.ie/en/publication/cf9b0d-new-public-health-measures-effective-now-to-prevent-further-spre....

We have good news for those of you wishing to renew your passports as the Passport Office is operational again, albeit on an online-basis only. All applicants can now apply online, including children, renewing their passports and those applying for their first passport who are resident in Ireland, UK, EU, EEA and Switzerland. To apply for a passport online please click here passportonline.dfa.ie/Apply/Passport. The Embassy strongly encourages you to apply online as we are currently not in a position to accept passport applications at the Embassy. The Embassy is fully operational now but working on an appointments-only system. This will remain the case for the foreseeable future. If you require assistance please email us at thehagueembassy@dfa.ie.

To finish up with some positive news from a ‘Global Ireland’ perspective. Just last month, after a 15-year campaign, Ireland was elected to the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term of office (2021 and 2022). It is a great honour and privilege for our country to have received the support of the international community, especially during these turbulent times. It is also a very positive development from my own professional perspective having been directly involved in the campaign for the last number of years as a Special Envoy. In the Department of Foreign Affairs, we see our election as a fitting recognition of Ireland’s enduring commitment to a rules-based multilateral system and an international appreciation of the our proud Irish legacy of peacekeeping (in which we have been consistently involved since 1958). Through our own history of conflict and peace, Ireland knows the impact that dialogue and peacebuilding can have on achieving a better future for all. We look forward to rising to the challenges ahead and bringing an Irish perspective to the goal of international peace and security in 2021 and 2022. Closer to home, within the European Union, Ireland has also had some success in recent times. Just last week Pascal Donohoe, the Irish Minister of Finance, was elected by 19 Eurogroup Member States to be its leader. He is scheduled to be in this position for a period of two and a half years, and it is another tangible affirmation of the trust Ireland has built up over the past decade in the European Union, having rebuilt our economy and reputation after the last global economic crisis.

So, pandemic or no pandemic, Ireland’s global footprint will continue to march forward over the coming years

As ever I will conclude with a few reminders about how to stay in touch with us in order to receive information on the latest developments on the evolving situation related to COVID-19:

Download the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) Travel Wise App which aims to help Irish citizens to stay safe and informed while abroad: www.dfa.ie/travelwise/. Please note we updated the advice again this week so please check it out.

There is also a dedicated DFAT information line available on +353 (0)1 6131733 which may be contacted by citizens or their families to discuss specific issues pertaining to their situations.

You can also follow DFAT via Twitter on @dfatirl or @dfatravelwise or the Embassy here in The Hague (Twitter @Irelandinnl) – or even my own personal Twitter account (@kevinthehague).

If you have any queries, or would like advice on returning home, you can contact the Embassy at thehagueembassy@dfa.ie.

In addition, please register your contact details on Citizens’ Registration, which allows DFAT to contact you and provide assistance in the event of an unforeseen crisis or family emergency while you are overseas: www.dfa.ie/travel/citizens-registration

Please share this message with all of your Irish contacts in the Netherlands, wherever they may be.

Kind regards to you all, take care and stay safe.

Kevin Kelly

Ambasadóir na hÉireann / Ambassador of Ireland
Ambasáid na hÉireann chun Ríocht na hÍsiltíre / Embassy of Ireland to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Scheveningseweg 112, 2584 AE The Hague, Netherlands. ... See MoreSee Less

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You should avoid all non-essential travel to other countries. Read advice about travel and coronavirus.

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