IRELAND

Compiled from the October 2004 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

Geography

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

Cities: Capital—Dublin (pop. 495,101). Other cities—Cork (123,338), Galway (65,774), Limerick (54,058), Waterford, (44,564).

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: 3,917,203.

Population growth rate: 0.93%.

Ethnic groups: Irish, with English minority.

Religions: Roman Catholic 88.4%; Church of Ireland 3.0%; other 8.7%.

Languages: English, Irish (Gaelic).

Education: Compulsory up to age 16. Enrollment rates—5-14 year olds, 100%; 15 year olds, 97%; 16 year olds, 91%. Literacy—98%-99%.

Health: Infant mortality rate—5.3/1,000. Life expectancy at birth—male 73.0 yrs., female 77.5 yrs.

Work force: Services—56%; industry—29%; agriculture—10%; government—5%.

Government

Type: Parliamentary republic.

Independence: December 6,1921.

Constitution: December 29, 1937.

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.

Administrative subdivisions: 26 counties, 34 local authorities.

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

Suffrage: Universal over 18.

Economy

GDP at market prices: (2003 est.) $149.4 billion.

Annual growth rate: (2003 est.) 1.4%.

Per capita income: (2003 est.) $38,308.

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

Agriculture: (5% of GDP) Products—cattle, meat, and dairy products; potatoes; barley; sugarbeets; hay; silage; wheat.

Industry: (46% of GDP) Types—food processing, beverages, engineering, computer equipment, textiles and clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction.

Trade: (2002) Exports—$86.2 billion (excluding services) machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, food, live animals, manufactured materials, beverages. Imports—$51.2 billion (excluding services) grains, petroleum products, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, textile yarns. Major suppliers—EU 64% (U.K. 36%, Germany 6%, France 4%), U.S. 16%, Japan 5%, China 4%.

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 above ground 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 chief of state in a largely ceremonial role, is elected for a 7-year term and can be re-elected only once. 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 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. 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. Bertie Ahern was re-elected Taoiseach and Mary Harney was reappointed as Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister).

Local and European elections were held in June 2004, along with a referendum in which Irish voters approved by a margin of four-to-one a measure to end the country's automatic grant of citizenship to children born on Irish soil. In September 2004, Ahern shuffled the cabinet in a move that was widely interpreted as an attempt to position his party for elections in 2005, while Mary McAleese was appointed to a second seven-year term as President in October 2004 after opposition parties failed to nominate alternative candidates.

Northern Ireland

Consolidating the peace process in Northern Ireland and encouraging the full implementation of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) 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 unionist and republican 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 provides 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 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 republican 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 Ireland and the U.K. concluded they did not have sufficient assurances from the republicans in Northern Ireland. However, Ireland and the U.K. 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 again in October 2003 to conclude a deal with the parties to restore government, but failed to reach agreement. However, elections to the suspended Assembly went forward in November 2003; these elections turned the more moderate UUP and SDLP out of power and installed the strongly unionist DUP and strongly republican Sinn Fein. The Assembly remains suspended, as the DUP refuses to enter into dialogue or government with Sinn Fein until the IRA ends all paramilitary activities and decommissions its weapons. The British and Irish Governments are engaged in ongoing efforts with the parties to restore the political process and restore devolved government, including the Leeds Castle talks in September 2004.

The United States supports the efforts of the British and Irish Governments to restore the democratic process in Northern Ireland and to fully implement the GFA. The U.S. remains engaged in dialogue with all parties, in coordination with our Embassies in Dublin and London, our Consulate in Belfast, and the office of the President's Special Envoy for Northern Ireland.

The United States also continues to provide funding ($25 million in 2003) for projects administered under the International Fund for Ireland, created in 1986 to generate economic opportunity and cross-community engagement in the border areas, both north and south.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 10/20/04

President: McAleese , Mary
Prime Minister: Ahern , Bertie
Dep. Prime Min.: Harney , Mary
Min. for Agriculture & Food: Coughlan , Mary
Min. for Arts, Sport, & Tourism: O'Donoghue , John
Min. for Communications, Marine, & Natural Resources: Dempsey , Noel
Min. for Community, Rural, & Gaeltacht Affairs: O'Cuiv , Eamon
Min. for Defense: O'Dea , Willie
Min. for Education & Science: Hanafin , Mary
Min. for Enterprise, Trade, & Employment: Martin , Micheal
Min. for Environment, Heritage, & Local Government: Roche , Dick
Min. for Finance: Cowen , Brian
Min. for Foreign Affairs: Ahern , Dermot
Min. for Health & Children: Harney , Mary
Min. for Justice, Equality, & Law Reform: McDowell , Michael
Min. for Social & Family Affairs: Brennan , Seamus
Min. for Transport: Cullen , Martin
Attorney General: Brady , Rory
Governor, Central Bank of Ireland: O'Connell , Maurice
Ambassador to the US: Fahey , Noel
Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: Ryan , Richard

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 successive years of double-digit GDP growth, driven by a progressive industrial policy that boosted large-scale foreign direct investment and exports. In recent years, Ireland has experienced more moderate growth, coupled with inflation rates above the EU average. The 2003 world economic slowdown affected Ireland as GDP growth slowed to 3.7% and the government budget fell into deficit. The economy has strengthened in 2004, however, with projections of a government surplus and annual GDP growth of 4.7%.

In 2003, U.S. exports to Ireland were valued at $7.7 billion, less than a third of the value of Irish exports to the U.S. ($25.8 billion). The range of U.S. products includes electrical components, computers and peripherals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, and livestock feed. Irish exports to the United States represent approximately 15%-20% of all Irish exports. The U.S. is Ireland's second-largest export destination–second only to the U.K. Exports to the United States include alcoholic beverages, chemicals and related products, electronic data processing equipment, electrical machinery, textiles and clothing, and glassware. In the first six months of 2004, Irish exports to the United States fell by 1% compared to the same period in 2003, while Irish imports from the United States rose by roughly 1%.

In 2004, the United States contributed $18.5 million to the International Fund for Ireland, a program that supports cross-border initiatives, cross-community reconciliation, and economic development.

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. Ireland, with 1% of the European Union's (EU's) population, has attracted 25% of all new U.S. "greenfield" investment in Europe since 1997. In 2003, there was $9.1 billion worth of new U.S. investment in Ireland, more than twice the U.S. investment flow to China. Currently, there are more than 570 U.S. subsidiaries, employing approximately 90,000 people and spanning activities from manufacturing of high-tech electronics, computer products, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals to retailing, banking and finance, and other services.

Many U.S. businesses find Ireland an attractive location to manufacture for the EU market, since it is inside the EU customs area. Government policies are generally formulated to facilitate trade and inward direct investment. The availability of an educated, well-trained, English-speaking work force has also been an important factor, though wage increases over the past five years have significantly exceeded the EU average. Ireland offers good long-term growth prospects for U.S. companies under an innovative financial incentive program, including capital grants and favorable tax treatment, such as a low corporation income tax rate for manufacturing firms and certain financial services firms.

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 held the rotating EU Presidency in the first half of 2004.

U.S.-IRISH RELATIONS

U.S. relations with Ireland have long been based on common ancestral ties and on similar values and political views. These relations, however, have now broadened and matured, given the substantial U.S. corporate involvement in the Irish economy. The United States seeks to maintain and strengthen the traditionally cordial relations between the people of the United States and Ireland.

Economic and trade relations are an important element of the bilateral relationship. U.S. investment has been a major factor in the growth of the Irish economy, and Irish membership in the European Union means that discussion of EU trade and economic policies, as well as other aspects of EU policy, are a key element in exchanges between the two countries.

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, immigration to Ireland, especially of non-Europeans, is a growing 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.

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

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet

October 4, 2004

Country Description: Ireland is a highly developed democracy with a modern economy.

Entry/Exit Requirements: A passport is necessary, but a visa is not required for tourist or business stays of up to three months. For information concerning entry requirements for Ireland, travelers can contact the Embassy of Ireland at 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, or via telephone at (202) 462-3939, or the nearest Irish consulate in Boston, Chicago, New York, or San Francisco.

The Internet address of the Irish Embassy is http://www.irelandemb.org.

In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated procedures at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship and authorization for the child's travel by parent(s), legal guardian and/or certified court orders. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry/departure.

Dual Nationality: U.S. citizens who are also citizens of Ireland or any other nation are reminded that U.S. law requires they enter and depart the United States carrying a valid U.S. passport. They are not entitled to U.S. visas or to travel to the U.S. on the Visa Waiver Program. U.S. citizens who attempt to travel to the U.S. from Ireland on foreign passports risk being denied boarding pending acquisition of a valid U.S. passport. For additional information, see the Consular Affairs home page on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov for our dual nationality flyer.

Safety and Security: A peace agreement for Northern Ireland was ratified by voters in Ireland and 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.

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 at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328. 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 incidents in which foreigners and tourists have been victims of assault. There is a high incidence of petty crime, mostly theft, burglary, and purse snatching. 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.

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 overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to 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.

U.S. citizens may refer to the Department of State's pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad, for ways to promote a trouble-free journey. The pamphlet is available by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, via the Internet at http://www.gpoaccess.gov, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov.

Medical Facilities: 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 and carefully consider this advice.

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 if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. U.S. medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Further, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. However, many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health care expenses incurred overseas, including emergency services such as medical evacuations.

When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the U.S. may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or if you will be reimbursed later for expenses you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death.

Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad, available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page.

Other Health Information: 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); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), 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 website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

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 a particular location or circumstance.

Safety of public transportation: Good
Urban road conditions/maintenance: Good
Rural road conditions/maintenance: Fair
Availability of roadside assistance: Good

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 this address http://usembassy.state.gov/ireland/driving.html

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

For additional general information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites, please see the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/travel/abroad_roadsafety.html. For specific information concerning Irish driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact the Irish National Tourist Organization (Bord Failte) web site at http://www.ireland.travel.ie.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Ireland's Civil Aviation Authority as Category 1—in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Ireland's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA's Internet website at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/index.cfm.

Customs Regulations: Irish customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning the import or export of items such as firearms. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of Ireland in Washington or one of Ireland's Consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements. Irish Customs authorities encourage the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet for the admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes. ATA Carnet Headquarters, located at the U.S. Council for International Business, 1212 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, issues and guarantees the ATA Carnet in the United States. For additional information, please call (212) 354-4480, send an e-mail to [email protected], or visit http://www.uscib.org for details.

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products are illegal and bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines. A current list of those countries with serious problems in this regard can be found here.

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 protection 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 strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

Under the PROTECT Act of April 2003, it is a crime, prosecutable in the United States, for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien, to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18, whether or not the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident alien intended to engage in such illicit sexual conduct prior to going abroad. For purposes of the PROTECT Act, illicit sexual conduct includes any commercial sex act in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18. The law defines a commercial sex act as any sex act, on account of which anything of value is given to or received by a person under the age of 18.

Under the Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act of 1998, it is a crime to use the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, including the Internet, to transmit information about a minor under the age of 16 for criminal sexual purposes that include, among other things, the production of child pornography. This same law makes it a crime to use any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, including the Internet, to transport obscene materials to minors under the age of 16.

Currency/Banking: The official unit of currency is the Euro. 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.

Children's Issues: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, please refer to our Internet site at http://travel.state.gov/family/index.html or telephone Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747. This number is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Callers who are unable to use toll-free numbers, such as those calling from overseas, may obtain information and assistance during these hours by calling 1-317-472-2328.

Registration/Embassy Location: Americans living or traveling in Ireland are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ireland. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.

The 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. Travelers to Northern Ireland should also consult the Consular Information Sheet for the United Kingdom. Further information and answers to many frequently asked questions are available on the Embassy Dublin's Internet homepage at http://dublin.usembassy.gov/.

International Adoption

January 2005

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 circular 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.

Please Note: Each year only a few Irish children are placed for adoption. Foreign adoptions are exceptionally rare, since adoptive parents must be resident in Ireland for at least one year.

Availability of Children for Adoption: Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics show that in the last five years there were no immigrant visas given for adopted children/orphans.

Irish Adoption Authority: The government office responsible for adoptions in Ireland is the Adoption Board (An Bord Uchtala), Shelbourne House, Shelbourne Road, Balls-bridge, Dublin 4, tel: 353-1-667-1392, Fax: 353-1-667-1438.

Irish Adoption Procedures: 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 health board.

All application for adoption orders are made to the Adoption Board, an independent statutory body. The primary function of the board is to grant or refuse applications for adoption orders. It also has responsibility for registering and supervising the adoption societies.

A couple wishing to have a child placed with them for adoption should apply to a registered adoption agency or their local health board. As there are far more couples wanting to adopt than there are children available for adoption, not every couple who applies to an adoption agency will be successful. Please review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family for more detailed information.

Age and Civil Status Requirements: A couple adopting a child to whom they are not related must both be at least 21 years of age. If a married couple is adopting the child and one of them is the biological mother or father or a relative of the child, only one of them must have attained the age of 21 years. The law does not lay down upper age limits for adopting parents. However, age is a significant factor when assessing a couple's suitability to adopt and most adoption agencies apply their own upper age limits. The following persons are eligible to adopt:

(a) a married couple living together; this is the only circumstance where the law permits the adoption of a child by more than one person.

(b) a married person living alone; in this circumstance the spouse's consent to adopt must be obtained, unless they are living apart and are separated under (I) a court decree or (ii) deed of separation or (iii) the spouse has deserted the prospective adopted or (iv) conduct on the part of the spouse results in the prospective adopter, with just cause, leaving the spouse and living apart;

(c) the mother, father or a relative of a child (relationship to a child born outside marriage is traced trough the mother only);

(d) a widow or widower.

A person who does not come within the classes of persons defined under 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. Adopting parents must be ordinarily resident in the State and have been so resident for at least one year before the date of the making of the adoption order.

Where the adopting parents, the child and the natural parent(s) are not all of the same religion, the biological parent(s) must know the religion (if any) of each of the adopting parents when giving consent to the child's adoption.

The Adoption Board cannot make an adoption order unless it is satisfied that each of the adopting parents is a suitable person to have parental rights and duties in respect of the child.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: There is no Irish Government approved attorney or firm of attorneys. Lists of approved adoption agencies can be found at www.travel.state.gov/family

Doctors: The U.S. Embassy maintains current lists of doctors and sources for medicines, should either you or your child experience health problems while in Ireland.

Irish Documentary Requirements: If a couple is accepted by an adoption agency and has 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.

U.S. Immigration Requirements: A Irish child adopted by an American citizen must obtain an immigrant visa before he or she can enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details.

Irish Embassy in the United States:
Embassy of Ireland
234 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington D.C. 20008
Tel: 202 462-3939/462-3940/462-3941

Ireland also has Consulates in New York City, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; San Francisco, California; and St. Louis, Missouri.

U.S. Embassy in Ireland:
U.S. Embassy of Ireland
42 Elgin Road
Ballsbridgem, Dublin 4
Tel: 353-1-6688777;
Fax: 353-1-6688056

Questions: Specific questions regarding adoption in Ireland may be addressed to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or in Ireland. You may also contact the Office of Children's Issues, SA-29, 2201 C Street, NW, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-2818, tel: 1-888-407-4747 with specific questions.

International Parental Child Abduction

January 2005

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 Parental Child Abduction section of this book and review current reports online at travel.state.gov

Disclaimer: The information in this circular relating to the legal requirements of a specific foreign country 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

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. All countries party to the Hague Convention have a Central Authority that is responsible for processing Hague applications.

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 e-mail address is [email protected].

It is unnecessary for a left-behind parent to retain a private lawyer in Ireland. The Central Authority will arrange for a solicitor (attorney) to represent you in your Hague return application. You will not be charged for such representation. A left-behind parent may retain his/her own solicitor and file a Hague return application directly with the High Court. In that case, the left-behind parent is responsible for all legal costs.

The Irish Central Authority arranges for the provision of legal aid connected with the application for the return of a child if the application is filed with the Central Authority. The left-behind parent may be asked to cover the cost of the return airfare for the child, if there is an order for return. Depending on the circumstances of an individual case, a Court may order the taking parent to cover these costs.

If a left-behind parent wishes to conduct his/her own case, he/she is responsible for all expenses incurred.

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.