Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 February 2015
152. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 193 of 18 February 2015, the reason the Embassy of Ireland to the United Kingdom agreed to accept a letter, but refused to do so with media present; if it is the standard policy of Irish embassies not to have media present when receiving representations from Irish citizens, and others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8382/15]
View answerThe Embassy of Ireland in London accepted a letter of protest on the afternoon 11 February, having agreed to do so by telephone earlier that day. The Embassy also brought the letter to the attention of the Department in Dublin. On this occasion, the letter was accepted inside the Embassy premises. While media may freely cover any such presentations when they are made outside the Embassy’s entrance, media presence inside the Embassy needs to be arranged in advance. The question of media participation was not raised during the telephone call arranging the presentation of the letter, and I am advised that, in any event, the representative of the group presenting the letter agreed to proceed without the television camera being present.
