Ireland’s foreign minister urged Irish citizens to secure comprehensive travel insurance before leaving the country, after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFA) revealed over 1,700 citizens requested consular assistance abroad in 2019.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney said that many of the Irish citizens who requested assistance were caught up in major incidents overseas – including terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka and Kenya, protests in Hong Kong, and political instability in South America.

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“Irish citizens continue to travel more often and more widely than ever before – meaning a greater frequency and complexity of consular cases,” he said. “This presents ever-growing challenges in providing assistance for Irish citizens who get into difficulty overseas.”

According to Coveney, the figures highlighted the importance of comprehensive travel insurance.

“While most journeys overseas go smoothly, the 2019 statistics show that things can and do go wrong and that it is important to be prepared,” he said. “As people consider travel plans for the year ahead, I urge them to get comprehensive travel insurance. Anyone travelling to Europe should also carry the ‘EHIC’ European Health Insurance Card, while those going to higher-risk countries should register their travel details with us online.”