Ireland

Compiled from the January 2007 Background Note and supplemented with additional information from the State Department and the editors of this volume. See the introduction to this set for explanatory notes.

Official Name:
Republic of Ireland

PROFILE

PEOPLE AND HISTORY

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

ECONOMY

FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-IRISH RELATIONS

TRAVEL

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 70,282 sq. km. (27,136 sq. mi.); slightly larger than West Virginia.

Terrain: Arable 10%, meadows and pastures 77%, rough grazing in use 11%, inland water 2%.

Climate: Temperate maritime.

People

Nationality: Noun—Irishman, Irishwoman. Adjective—Irish.

Population: 4,234,935 (2006 est.).

Cities: Capital—Dublin (pop. 505,739). Other cities—Cork (119,143), Galway (71,983), Limerick (52,560), Waterford, (45,775).

Population breakdown: 0-14 years (21%), 15-24 years (15%), 25-34 years (17%), 35-44 years (14%), 45-54 years (12%), 55-64 years (10%), 65 years and over (11%)

Population growth rate: 1.53 (2004).

Ethnic groups: Irish, with English minority.

Religions: Roman Catholic 88.4%; Church of Ireland 2.9%; Presbyterian 0.52%; Methodist 0.25%; Muslim 0.49%; Jewish 0.1%; other 4%.

Languages: English, Irish (Gaelic).

Education: Compulsory up to age 16. Enrollment rates: first (primary) level 449,508, second (high school and vocational) level 335,162, third (university and college) level 133,691. Literacy—98%-99%.

Health: Infant mortality rate—4.9/1,000. Life expectancy at birth—male 75.1 yrs., female 80.3 yrs.

Work force: Services—66%; industry—28%; agriculture—6%.

Government

Type: Parliamentary republic.

Independence: December 6, 1921.

Constitution: December 29, 1937.

Government branches: Executive—president, chief of state; prime minister (Taoiseach—pronounced “TEE-shuck”), head of government. Legislative—bicameral national Parliament (Oireachtas—pronounced “o-ROCK-tas”) House of Representatives (Dail—pronounced “DOIL”) and Senate (Seanad—pronounced “SHAN-ad”). Judicial—Supreme Court.

Political subdivisions: 26 counties, 34 local authorities.

Political parties: Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labor, Progressive Democrats, Green Party, Sinn Fein.

Suffrage: Universal over 18.

Economy

Nominal GDP: (2005) $160.3 billion.

Real GDP growth rate: (2005) 4.7%.

Nominal GDP per capita: (2005) $38,812.

Natural resources: Zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat.

Agriculture: (3% of GDP) Products—cattle, meat, and dairy products; potatoes; barley; sugarbeets; hay; silage; wheat.

Industry: (32% of GDP) Types—food processing, beverages, engineering, computer equipment, textiles and clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction.

Trade: (2005) Exports—$89 billion (excluding services) machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, food, live animals, manufactured materials, beverages. Imports—$57.4 billion (excluding services) grains, petroleum products, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, textile yarns. Major suppliers-Great Britain and Northern Ireland 31%, U.S. 11%, Germany 8%, China 7%, Japan 4%, France 3%, rest of the world (including other EU Member States) 36%.

PEOPLE AND HISTORY

The Irish people are mainly of Celtic origin, with the country’s only significant sized minority having descended from the Anglo-Normans. English is the common language, but Irish (Gaelic) is also an official language and is taught in schools.

Anglo-Irish writers such as Swift, Sheridan, Goldsmith, Burke, Wilde, Joyce, Yeats, Shaw, and Beckett have made a major contribution to world literature over the past 300 years.

The earliest inhabitants—people of a mid-Stone Age culture—arrived about 6000 BC. About 4,000 years later, tribes from southern Europe arrived and established a high Neolithic culture, leaving behind gold ornaments and huge stone monuments. The Bronze Age people, who arrived during the next 1,000 years, produced elaborate gold and bronze ornaments and weapons.

The Iron Age arrived abruptly in the fourth century BC with the invasion of the Celts, a tall, energetic people who had spread across Europe and Great Britain in the preceding centuries. The Celts, or Gaels, and their more numerous predecessors divided into five kingdoms in which, despite constant strife, a rich culture flourished.

The coming of Christianity from across the Irish Sea brought major changes and civilizing influences. Tradition maintains that St. Patrick arrived on the island in AD 432 and, in the years that followed, worked to convert the Irish to Christianity.

The pagan druid tradition collapsed before the spread of the new faith, and Irish scholars excelled in the study of Latin learning and Christian theology in the monasteries that flourished. Missionaries went forth from Ireland to England and the continent, spreading news of the flowering of learning, and scholars from other nations came to Irish monasteries. The excellence and isolation of these monasteries helped preserve Latin and Greek learning during the Dark Ages. The arts of manuscript illumination, metalworking, and sculpture flourished and produced such treasures as the Book of Kells, ornate jewelry, and the many carved stone crosses that dot the island.

Two hundred years of Viking invasion and settlement was later followed by a Norman conquest in the 12th century. The Norman conquest resulted in the assimilation of the Norman settlers into Irish society. The early 17th century saw the arrival of Scottish and English Protestants, sent as colonists to the north of Ireland and the Pale around Dublin.

In 1800 the Irish Parliament passed the Act of Union with Great Britain, and Ireland was an official part of the United Kingdom until 1921. Religious freedom, outlawed in the 18th century, was restored in 1829, but this victory for the Irish Catholic majority was overshadowed by a severe economic depression and the great famine from 1846-48 when the potato crop failed. Millions died, and the millions that emigrated spawned the first mass wave of Irish emigration to the United States. A decade later, in 1858, the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB—also known as the Fenians) was founded as a secret society dedicated to armed rebellion against the British. An aboveground political counterpart, the Home Rule Movement, was created in 1874, advocating constitutional change for independence.

Galvanized by the leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell, the party was able to force British governments after 1885 to introduce several home rule bills. The turn of the century witnessed a surge of interest in Irish nationalism, including the founding of Sinn Fein (“Ourselves Alone”) as an open political movement.

Nationalism was and is a potent populist force in Irish politics. A home rule bill passed in 1914, but its implementation was suspended until war in Europe ended. Believing the mantra: “England’s problem is Ireland’s opportunity,” and tapping into a mood of Gaelic revivalism, Padraic Pearse and James Connolly led the unsuccessful Easter Rising of 1916. Pearse and the other 1916 leaders declared an independent Irish republic, but a lack of popular support doomed the rebellion, which lasted a week and destroyed large portions of Dublin. The decision by the British military government to execute the leaders of the rebellion, coupled with the British Government’s threat of conscripting the Irish to fight in the Great War, alienated public opinion and produced massive support for Sinn Fein in the 1918 general election. Under the leadership of Eamon de Valera, the elected Sinn Fein deputies constituted themselves as the first Dail. Tensions only increased: British attempts to smash Sinn Fein ignited the Anglo-Irish War of 1919-1921.

The end of the war brought the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921, which established the Irish Free State of 26 counties within the British Commonwealth and recognized the partition of the island into Ireland and Northern Ireland, though supposedly as a temporary measure. The six predominantly Protestant counties of northeast Ulster—Northern Ireland—remained a part of the United Kingdom with limited self-government. A significant Irish minority repudiated the treaty settlement because of the continuance of subordinate ties to the British monarch and the partition of the island. This opposition led to further hostilities—a civil war (1922-23), which was won by the pro-treaty forces.

In 1932, Eamon de Valera, the political leader of the forces initially opposed to the treaty, became Prime Minister, and a new Irish constitution was enacted in 1937. The last British military bases were soon withdrawn, and the ports were returned to Irish control. Ireland was neutral in World War II. The government formally declared Ireland a republic in 1948; however, it does not normally use the term “Republic of Ireland,” which tacitly acknowledges the partition, but refers to the country simply as “Ireland.”

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

Ireland is a sovereign, independent, democratic state with a parliamentary system of government. The president, who serves as head of state in a largely ceremonial role, is elected for a 7-year term and can be re-elected

only once. The current president is Mary McAleese, who is serving her second term after having succeeded President Mary Robinson—the first instance worldwide where one woman has followed another as an elected head of state. In carrying out certain constitutional powers and functions, the president is aided by the Council of State, an advisory body. On the Taoiseach’s (prime minister’s) advice, the president also dissolves the Oireachtas (Parliament).

The prime minister (Taoiseach, pronounced “TEE-shuck”) is elected by the Dail (lower house of Parliament) as the leader of the political party, or coalition of parties, which wins the most seats in the national elections, held approximately every 5 years (unless called earlier). Executive power is vested in a cabinet whose ministers are nominated by the Taoiseach and approved by the Dail.

The bicameral Oireachtas (Parliament) consists of the Seanad Eireann (Senate) and the Dail Eireann (House of Representatives). The Seanad is composed of 60 members—11 nominated by the prime minister, 6 elected by the national universities, and 43 elected from panels of candidates established on a vocational basis. The Seanad has the power to delay legislative proposals and is allowed 90 days to consider and amend bills sent to it by the Dail, which wields greater power in Parliament. The Dail has 166 members popularly elected to a maximum term of 5 years under a complex system of proportional representation. A member of the Dail is known as a Teachta Dala, or TD.

Judges are appointed by the president on nomination by the government and can be removed from office only for misbehavior or incapacity and then only by resolution of both houses of Parliament. The ultimate court of appeal is the Supreme Court, consisting of the chief justice and five other justices. The Supreme Court also can decide upon the constitutionality of legislative acts if the president asks for an opinion.

Local government is by elected county councils and—in the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Water-ford—by county borough corporations. County councils/corporations in turn select city mayors. In practice, however, authority remains with the central government.

Irish politics remain dominated by the two political parties that grew out of Ireland’s bitter 1922-23 civil war. Fianna Fail was formed by those who opposed the 1921 treaty that partitioned the island. Although treaty opponents lost the civil war, Fianna Fail soon became Ireland’s largest political party. Fine Gael, representative of the pro-treaty forces, remains the country’s second-largest party. The Progressive Democrats, Labour, Sinn Fein, and the Greens are the other significant parties. In the 2002 general elections, “Independent” TDs began to emerge as a political force, with 14 “Independent” TDs elected to the Dail.

The May 2002 national elections returned Fianna Fail and its coalition partner, the Progressive Democrats, to power, a coalition that had governed since the 1997 elections. Prime Minister Ahern was re-elected Taoiseach and Mary Harney was reap-pointed as Deputy Prime Minister (Tanaiste, pronounced “TAW-nishtau).

Local and European elections took place in June 2004 and saw gains for opposition parties. The election also featured a referendum on citizenship. Until that time, Ireland had granted citizenship on the basis of birth on Irish soil. Concerns about security and social welfare abuse prompted the government to seek to bring citizenship laws in line with the more restrictive policies prevalent in the rest of Europe, and the 2004 referendum measure passed by a wide majority. Now, persons with non-Irish parents can acquire Irish citizenship at birth only if at least one parent has been resident in Ireland for three years preceding the birth.

Ireland is preparing for the next national elections, which must be held by June 2007. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern plans to lead the Fianna Fail party’s campaign, in pursuit of his third consecutive term as prime minister. The Progressive Democrats will be led by Michael McDowell, the current Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who succeeded Mary Harney in 2006 as party leader and Tanaiste following her resignation from both posts.

Northern Ireland

Consolidating the peace process in Northern Ireland and encouraging the full implementation of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the 2006 St. Andrews Agreement remain U.S. priorities in Ireland.

The conflict in Northern Ireland stems from a history of British rule, historical animosity between Catholics and Protestants, and the various armed and political attempts to unite Northern Ireland with the rest of the island. “Nationalist” and “Republican” groups seek a united Ireland, while “Unionists” and “Loyalists” want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. After decades of violence by both Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries, most notably the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the British and Irish governments negotiated an IRA ceasefire in 1994, which was followed by the landmark U.S.-brokered Good Friday Agreement (GFA) in 1998.

The GFA established a power-sharing legislative assembly to serve as the autonomous local government of Northern Ireland. The 108-member Northern Ireland Assembly is led by a first minister and deputy first minister, one from each of the two communities, and a 10-minister executive. The GFA also provided for changes in both the British and Irish constitutions. Ireland ceded territorial claim to Northern Ireland, and the U.K. agreed that Northern Ireland could become part of Ireland if a majority (North and South) so voted in the future. Finally, the GFA provided the blueprint for “normalization,” to include the eventual removal of British forces, devolution of police and justice functions, and guarantees of human rights and equal opportunity for all individuals. The agreement was approved in a 1998 referendum by 71% of Northern Ireland voters and 95% of Irish voters.

The major political parties in Northern Ireland are the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and the Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP). The UUP and SDLP are centrist Unionist and Nationalist parties, respectively, while Sinn Fein is strongly Republican and the DUP is strongly Unionist. From the time the Assembly was created in 1998 until 2003, the UUP and SDLP were the governing parties.

In October 2002, the British Government suspended (for the fourth time) the Assembly, following a breakdown in trust between Unionists and Republicans. The British and Irish Governments began discussions with the parties to try to resolve longstanding unresolved differences between the communities, and to secure a commitment from Sinn Fein that Republicans would divest themselves of all paramilitary activities and capabilities.

Efforts to restore the political process in time to stage new elections to the Assembly in May 2003 broke down when the two governments concluded they did not have sufficient assurances from the Republicans. However, the governments proceeded to publish a joint declaration, mapping out the timetable to full implementation of the GFA. The governments also created an International Monitoring Commission to serve as a forum to hear complaints of alleged breaches of GFA commitments by the political parties and/or by British authorities. The four-member commission includes a representative from the United States. It issued its first report in April 2004, in which it criticized Republican and Loyalist paramilitary groups for illegal activities.

The British and Irish Governments attempted in October 2003 to conclude a deal with the parties to restore government, but failed to reach agreement. Elections to the suspended Assembly still went forward the following month, turning the more moderate UUP and SDLP out of power and installing the strongly Unionist DUP and strongly Republican Sinn Fein. In late 2004, the British and Irish Governments again attempted, but failed, to negotiate an agreement with the parties on devolution. The weeks following the breakdown in talks saw an armed robbery of Belfast’s Northern Bank and a highly publicized murder within the Republican community, with strong allegations of IRA involvement in both cases.

Since 2005, there have been significant steps to reinvigorate the peace process. In July 2005, the IRA unilaterally announced that it would end its “armed struggle” and rely upon solely peaceful and democratic means to achieve its political objectives. The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) confirmed in September 2005 that the IRA had effectively put its weapons “beyond use.” A series of reports by the International Monitoring Commission also noted significant progress by the IRA in its move away from criminality. Following upon this momentum, the British and Irish Governments in April 2006 launched a new negotiation process that envisioned the restoration of the Assembly and the selection of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister by year’s end. This process led to a summit at St. Andrews, Scotland, in October 2006, which yielded an agreement by the parties to restore devolved government by the spring of 2007 following Assembly elections in the North (and a form of electoral endorsement to be chosen in the South). The St. Andrews Agreement specifically called for Republican endorsement of policing and the criminal justice system as well as Union-ist commitment to political power-sharing.

The political parties and the British, Irish, and U.S. Governments are working on mechanics for implementing the St. Andrews Agreement. Current efforts center on resolving differences between the DUP and Sinn Fein on policing issues and power-sharing. As part of these efforts, the U.S. Embassy in Dublin coordinates regularly with the U.S. Embassy in London, the U.S. Consulate in Belfast, and the office of the President’s Special Envoy for Northern Ireland.

The United States also continues to provide funding ($18.4 million in 2005) for projects administered under the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), created in 1986 to generate economic opportunity and cross-community engagement in the border areas, both North and South. Since the IFI’s establishment, the U.S. Government has contributed $471 million, roughly half of total IFI funding.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 10/16/2006

President: Mary MCALEESE

Prime Minister: Bertie AHERN

Dep. Prime Min.: Michael MCDOWELL

Min. for Agriculture & Food: Mary COUGHLAN

Min. for Arts, Sport, & Tourism: John O’DONOGHUE

Min. for Communications, Marine, & Natural Resources: Noel DEMPSEY

Min. for Community, Rural, & Gaeltacht Affairs: Eamon O’CUIV

Min. for Defense: Willie O’DEA

Min. for Education & Science: Mary HANAFIN

Min. for Enterprise, Trade, & Employment: Micheal MARTIN

Min. for Environment, Heritage, & Local Government: Dick ROCHE

Min. for Finance: Brian COWEN

Min. for Foreign Affairs: Dermot AHERN

Min. for Health & Children: Mary HARNEY

Min. for Justice, Equality, & Law Reform: Michael MCDOWELL

Min. for Social & Family Affairs: Seamus BRENNAN

Min. for Transport: Martin CULLEN

Attorney General: Rory BRADY

Governor, Central Bank of Ireland: John HURLEY

Ambassador to the US: Noel FAHEY

Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: David COONEY

The Irish Embassy in the United States is at 2234 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-462-3939/40/41/42). Irish Consulates are located in New York, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco.

ECONOMY

Ireland boasts a vibrant, globalized economy, with GDP per capita second only to Luxembourg’s in the EU. The “Celtic Tiger” period of the mid-late 1990s saw several years of double-digit GDP growth, driven by a progressive industrial policy that boosted large-scale foreign direct investment and exports. GDP growth dipped during the immediate post-9/11 global economic slowdown, but has averaged roughly 5 percent yearly since 2004, the best performance for this period among the original EU 15 Member States. Since 2004, the Irish economy has generated roughly 90,000 new jobs annually, attracting over 200,000 foreign workers, mostly from the new EU accession states, in an unprecedented immigration influx. The construction sector has accounted for approximately one-quarter of these jobs, and economists caution that any slowdown in Ireland’s vibrant housing market would have ramifications for continued GDP growth.

Economic and trade ties are an important facet of overall U.S.-Irish relations. In 2005, U.S. exports to Ireland were valued at $9 billion, while Irish exports to the U.S. totaled $28 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The range of U.S. exports includes electrical components and equipment, computers and peripherals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and livestock feed. Irish exports to the United States represent approximately 20% of all Irish exports, and have roughly the same value as Irish exports to the UK (inclusive of Northern Ireland). Exports to the United States include alcoholic beverages, chemicals and related products, electronic data processing equipment, electrical machinery, textiles and clothing, and glassware. According to Ireland’s Central Statistical Office, Irish exports to the United States from January to September 2006 rose by 7% compared to the same period in 2005, while Irish imports from the United States from January to September 2006 fell by 14% compared to the same period in 2005.

U.S. investment has been particularly important to the growth and modernization of Irish industry over the past 25 years, providing new technology, export capabilities, and employment opportunities. As of year-end 2005, the stock of U.S. foreign direct investment in Ireland stood at $62 billion, more than double the U.S. total for China and India combined ($25.3 billion). Currently, there are approximately 620 U.S. subsidiaries in Ireland, employing roughly 100,000 people and spanning activities from manufacturing of high-tech electronics, computer products, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals to retailing, banking, finance, and other services. In more recent years, Ireland has also become an important research and development (R&D) center for U.S. firms in Europe.

Many U.S. businesses find Ireland an attractive location to manufacture for the EU market, since it is inside the EU customs area and uses the euro. In 2005, U.S. firms accounted for 61% of Ireland’s total exports of euro 89 billion. Other reasons for Ireland’s attractiveness include: a 12.5 percent corporate tax rate for domestic and foreign firms; the quality and flexibility of the English-speaking work force; cooperative labor relations; political stability; pro-business government policies; a transparent judicial system; and, the pulling power of existing companies operating successfully (a “clustering” effect). Factors that negatively affect Ireland’s ability to attract investment include: increasing labor and energy costs (especially when compared to low-cost countries in Eastern Europe and Asia), skilled labor shortages, inadequate infrastructure (such as in the transportation and internet/broadband sectors), and absolute price levels that are ranked among the highest in Europe.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Ireland is a member of numerous international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the European Union. Ireland has been an important contributor to numerous international peacekeeping missions, such as in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Liberia (UNIMIL), and the Balkans (KFOR and EUFOR). Ireland’s overseas development assistance focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa and stands at 5 percent of GDP.

U.S.-IRISH RELATIONS

U.S. relations with Ireland have long been based on common ancestral ties and shared values. These relations have broadened and matured, given the significant U.S. role in Ireland’s economic success and cooperation on global challenges. Besides regular dialogue on political and economic issues, the U.S. and Irish Governments have official exchanges in areas such as medical research and education.

With Ireland’s membership in the European Union, the discussion of EU trade and economic policies, as well as other aspects of EU policy, is also a key element in the U.S.-Irish relationship. In recent years, Ireland has attempted to act as a diplomatic bridge between the United States and European Union. During its 2004 EU presidency, Ireland worked to strengthen U.S.-EU ties that had been strained by the Iraq war, and the current EU Ambassador to the United States is former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton.

Emigration, long a vital element in the U.S.-Irish relationship, declined significantly with Ireland’s economic boom in the 1990s. For the first time in its modern history, Ireland is experiencing high levels of inward migration, a phenomenon with political, economic, and social consequences. However, Irish citizens do continue the common practice of taking temporary residence overseas for work or study, mainly in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere in Europe, before returning to establish careers in Ireland. The U.S. J-1 visa program, for example, remains a popular means for Irish youths to work temporarily in the United States.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

DUBLIN (E) Address: 41 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4; APO/FPO: 5290 Dublin Pl, Dulles, VA 20189-5290; Phone: 353 1 668-7122; Fax: 353 1 668-9946; INMARSAT Tel: 881631438814 (Iridium); Workweek: 8:30 am–5:00 pm; Website: www.usembassy.ie.

Last Updated: 1/24/2007

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet : October 4, 2006

Country Description: Ireland is a highly developed democracy with a modern economy. Tourist facilities are widely available.

Entry Requirements: A passport is necessary, but a visa is not required for tourist or business stays of up to three months. Visit the Embassy of Ireland web site at http://www.irelandemb.org for the most current visa information, or contact the embassy at 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel: (202) 462-3939, or the nearest Irish consulate in Boston, Chicago, New York or San Francisco.

Safety and Security: Ireland remains largely free of terrorist incidents. Voters in Ireland ratified a peace agreement for Northern Ireland on May 22, 1998. While the ceasefire that came into effect at that time is officially holding, there have been spates of violence in Northern Ireland associated with paramilitary organizations. These incidents have the potential for some spillover into Ireland. Travelers to Northern Ireland should consult the Consular Information Sheet for the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.

Several Americans have reported incidents of verbal abuse and one reported a physical assault apparently in reaction to U.S. policy on the war on terrorism. As elsewhere in Europe, there have been public protests, which for the most part are peaceful and well policed. Americans are advised, nonetheless, to avoid public demonstrations in general and to monitor local media when protests occur.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Crime: Although Ireland has historically had a low rate of violent crime, it is increasing, and there have been a limited number of incidents in which foreigners and tourists have been victims of assault, including instances of violence toward those who appear to be members of racial minority groups. There is a high incidence of petty crime, mostly theft, burglary, and purse snatching in major tourist areas. Thieves target rental cars and tourists, particularly in the vicinity of tourist attractions, and some purse and bag snatching incidents in these areas have turned violent, especially in Dublin. Extra caution should be taken to safeguard passports and wallets from pickpockets and bag snatchers.

There has been an increase over the last year in the number of crimes involving credit cards and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). The use of skimmers to record credit card details has increased, and these recorded details are being sent elsewhere to program false and stolen credit cards.

Information for Victims of Crime: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while in Ireland, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Dublin for assistance. The Embassy staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Modern medical facilities and highly skilled medical practitioners are available in Ireland. Because of high demand, however, access to medical specialists can be difficult and admissions to hospitals for certain non-life threatening medical conditions may require spending significant periods of time on waiting lists. Those traveling to or intending to reside in Ireland who may require medical treatment while in Ireland should consult with their personal physicians prior to traveling.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/countries/irl/en/. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Ireland is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in every particular location or circumstance.

As driving is on the left side of the road in Ireland, motorists without experience in left drive countries should be especially cautious. Tourists driving on the wrong side of the road are the cause of several serious accidents each year. Turning on red is not legal in Ireland. The vast majority of the rental cars are stick shift; it can be difficult to find automatic transmission rental cars. Road conditions are generally good, but once off main highways, country roads quickly become narrow, uneven and winding. Roads are more dangerous during the summer and on holiday weekends due to an increase in traffic. More information on driving in Ireland can be found on the U.S. Embassy in Dublin’s webpage at http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/driving.html. For specific information concerning Irish driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please visit the official tourism guide for Ireland at http://www.tourismireland.com. For information about the conversion to metric speed limits in effect since January 20, 2005, visit http://www.gometric.ie/roadsystem.html.

Taxis are reasonably priced but availability varies with time of day and where you are in the country. Bus service in the cities is generally adequate, though many buses are overcrowded and frequently late. Inter-city bus and train services are reasonably good.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Ireland’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Ireland’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s website at http://www.faa.gov.

Special Circumstances: Most Irish banks will not accept U.S. $100 bills. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are widely available, but some ATMs, particularly in rural areas, may not accept U.S. bank ATM cards. Credit cards are widely accepted throughout Ireland.

Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Irish laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Ireland are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in Ireland and the United States.

Children’s Issues: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children’s Issues website at http://travel.state.gov/family/family_1732.html.

Registration/Embassy Location: Americans living or traveling in Ireland are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Dublin through the State Department’s travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ireland. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.

By registering, Americans make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, telephone (353)-(1)-668-8777, after hours number: (353) (1) 668-9612, fax: (353) (1) 668-8056, and on the Internet at http://dublin.usembassy.gov.

International Adoption : May 2006

The information below has been edited from a report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Adoption section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of Ireland is based on public sources and current understanding. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

Patterns of Immigration: Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics indicate only one immigrant visa has been issued to an Irish orphan in the last five fiscal years.

Adoption Authority in Ireland: The government office responsible for adoptions in Ireland is:

Adoption Board (An Bord Uchtala)
Shelbourne House
Shelbourne Road
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Tel: 353-1-667-1392
Fax: 353-1-667-1438
Website: www.adoptionboard.ie

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents: The following persons are eligible to adopt:

• A married couple living together. This is the only circumstance in which the law permits the adoption of a child by more than one person.
• A married person alone. In this circumstance, the spouse’s consent to adopt must be obtained, unless they are living apart and are separated because: there is a court decree or deed of separation; or the absent spouse has deserted the prospective adoptive parent; or the prospective adoptive parent has left the other spouse based on that other spouse’s conduct.
• The mother, father or a relative of a specific child (relative meaning a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt of the child to be adopted and/or the spouse of any such relative). In this case, the term “relative” is taken to mean a biological relative of either the biological mother or father.
• A widow or widower.

Persons not falling into one of the categories c) and d) above may only adopt where the Board is satisfied that, in the particular circumstances of the case, it is desirable to grant an order. If the adopting parents, child and birth parent(s) are not all of the same religion, the birth parent(s) must know the religion (if any) of each of the adopting parents when giving consent to the child’s adoption. The identity of the adoptive parents need not be disclosed to the biological parents, merely their religious preference.

Residency Requirements: Adopting parents must be ordinarily resident in Ireland and have been so resident for at least one year before the date of the making of the adoption order.

Time Frame: From start of process until the child is matched with prospective adopters is approximately 12 to15 months. Adoptive parents who plan to file an I-600 must finalize the adoption within 18 months of filing their I-600A in the United States.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: The registered adoption societies and the health boards are the only agencies legally entitled to place children for adoption. A number of the societies are operated by, or in association with, the local Irish health authority. There is no Irish government-approved attorney or firm of attorneys. A list of approved adoption agencies can be found at: http://www.adoptionboard.ie/domestic/supportgroups.php.

Adoption Fees in Ireland:
Attorney fees: Vary depending on the firm and the complexity of the case: Adoption Agency fees: No Fees Health Board fees: No Fees Adoption Board fees: No Fees Estimated average cost to parents of adoption in Ireland: No maximum

Domestic Adoption Within Ireland: All applications for adoption orders are made to the Adoption Board, an independent statutory body. Only registered adoption societies and the health boards are legally entitled to assess the prospective parents for their suitability as parents and to place children for adoption. If the adopter(s) pass this assessment, and succeed in having a child placed with them, they may then apply to the Adoption Board for an Adoption order, which places the child in the permanent care of the adoptive parents.

A couple wishing to have a child placed with them for adoption should apply to a registered adoption agency or their local health board to initiate the process. They will undergo an assessment process to determine whether they are considered eligible to adopt.

A couple seeking permission to adopt will have to undergo a detailed assessment by either the Registered Adoption Society or the Health Board (not the Adoption Board) through which they have chosen to apply. The couple will also need to undergo a medical examination.

The Adoption Board cannot make an adoption order unless it is satisfied as to the suitability of the adoption parents. The Adoption Board does not usually finalize an adoption until the adopting parents have had the child in their care for at least six months. The Board may require the applicants to have the child in their care for a longer period in certain circumstances.

When the Adoption Board is satisfied that an adoption is ready to be finalized, it will invite the adoptive parents and child to attend the hearing of their application. At the oral hearing, the applicants are asked certain questions under oath in order to establish their identity and eligibility to adopt. If these questions are answered to the satisfaction of the Board, the Board then makes an adoption order of the child.

Intercountry Adoption in Third Countries: The adoption of the child will by governed by the child’s country of origin. For more information on Irish government requirements for such cases, prospective adoptive parents should visit http://www.adoptionboard.ie/intercountry/index.php. For more detailed information, Please review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Documents Required for Adoption: If a couple is accepted by an adoption agency and have a child placed with them, the next step is to apply to the Adoption Board for an adoption order. Certain documents specified by the Adoption Board must be sent to the Board in support of the application, typically marriage certificates, birth certificates, etc.

Embassy of Ireland:
2234 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.
Washington D.C. 20008
Tel: 202 462-3939
Fax: (202) 232 5993
http://www.irelandemb.org/

Ireland also has Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco.

U.S. Immigration Requirements: Prospective adopting parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adopting Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

U.S. Embassy:
42 Elgin Road
Ballsbridge Dublin 4
Tel: (353)-(1)-668-8777
After hours number: (353) (1) 668-9612
Fax: (353) (1) 668-8056
Email: [email protected]

Additional Information: Specific questions about adoption in Ireland may be addressed to the U.S. Embassy in Dublin or the Irish Adoption Board. General questions regarding intercountry adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.

International Parental Child Abduction : February 2007

The information below has been edited from the report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Child Abduction section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is provided for general information only. Questions involving interpretation of specific foreign laws should be addressed to foreign legal counsel.

General Information: Absent a court order, married parents in Ireland are assumed to share joint custody of any minor children. In divorce and custodial proceedings, it is rare, but not unheard of, for the father to be awarded custody. The mother of a child born out-of-wedlock in Ireland is assumed to have sole and full custody of the child. If the father’s name does not appear on the birth certificate, he may have a difficult time even obtaining access to the child even though he can still be brought to court and ordered to pay child support.

A U.S. court order regarding custody is not enforceable in Ireland, but will be taken into account as a courtesy, if presented to the Irish court during a custody hearing in Ireland.

The child of an Irish citizen automatically acquires Irish citizenship regardless of where the birth occurred (with a few exceptions). The signatures of both parents are required on an application for an Irish passport for a minor child. If your child has a claim to Irish citizenship, you may be able to prevent the issuance of an Irish passport to your child upon presentation of a court order certified by the clerk of the court. Please contact a consular officer at the Irish Embassy in Washington, D.C. (202-462-3939) for further information. There are also Irish Consulates in New York (212-319-2555); Massachusetts (617-267-9330); Illinois (312-337-1868) and California (415-392-414). The Embassy has an Internet Web site located at http://www.irelandemb.org.

For more information, please read the International Parental Child Abduction section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov.

The Hague Convention: The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Convention) came into force between the United States and the Republic of Ireland on October 1, 1991. Therefore, Hague Convention provisions for return would apply to children abducted or retained after October 1, 1991. Parents and legal guardians of children taken to the Republic of Ireland prior to October 1, 1991 may still submit applications for access/visitation to the child under the Hague Convention.

The designated Central Authority for the Republic of Ireland is the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. They are located at 43/49 Mespil Road, Dublin 4, Ireland. The international telephone number is 011-353-1-667-0344 and the international telefax number is 011-353-1-667-0367. The Central Authority email address is child_abduction@ justice.ie.

For more information, please read the International Parental Child Abduction section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov.

Criminal Remedies: For information on possible criminal remedies, please contact your local law enforcement authorities, or the nearest office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Information is also available on the Internet at the web site of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org. You should be aware that filing criminal child abduction charges in the United States against a taking parent could jeopardize an Irish Hague Convention case.

For further information on international parental child abduction, contact the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State at 1-888-407-4747 or visit its web site on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. You may also direct inquiries to: Office of Children’s Issues; U.S. Department of State; Washington, DC 20520-4811; Phone: (202) 736-9090; Fax: (202) 312-9743.