Vol. 398 No. 5
15 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will list the countries to which Irish diplomats are accredited where (a) travel is restricted for the diplomats and (b) some regions of the countries concerned are off-limits to Irish diplomats.
There are provisions for restrictions on travel by staff of foreign diplomatic missions in the USSR, China, Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Korea. These restrictions generally refer to advance notification of travel outside the capital concerned and/or to specific areas of the country concerned, for national security or other reasons. Likewise, geographical restictions may apply from time to time in other countries for similar reasons. I am satisfied that the staffs of Irish embassies are not discriminated against relative to the staff of other embassies in so far as the application of travel restrictions by host countries is concerned.
