Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 July 2022
86. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the dates that either the Irish Ambassador and or Deputy Head of Mission in Lisbon have visited the Albufeira area of the Algarve region in 2021 and to date in 2022; and the purpose of each visit in tabular form. [36470/22]
View answerWhile no visits to Albufeira by the Ambassador and or Deputy Head of Mission in Lisbon have taken place during 2021 or 2022 to date, due in part to restrictions on travel caused by prevailing public health situation over that period, the Embassy engages extensively with the Algarve region on a number of levels.
A key area of such engagement involves the provision of consular assistance to the significant numbers of Irish citizens who visit the Algarve region throughout the year and/or who are resident there.
In July 2021, the Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission travelled to the region to meet with a range of local and emergency service authorities in order to develop and strengthen the Embassy’s working relationships in each case and thereby optimise the level of consular support available to Irish visitors and residents alike. This included meetings with the Mayor of Loulé and Head of Office of the Mayor of Faro (both adjacent to Albufeira); the regional Director of Portugal’s Immigration and Border Service; the Algarve Regional Emergency Services Command Centre; Commanders of the local PSP (municipal) and GNR (National Republican Guard) police forces; and the Director of Faro Airport, through which many direct flights operate to and from Ireland. The Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission also met during the same visit with the President of the ‘Safe Communities Portugal’, a non-profit volunteer group which provides crime prevention support and daily information on public safety for English-speaking residents of Portugal.
All these contacts have proved helpful in the context of the Embassy’ ongoing provision of necessary consular support to Irish citizens.
The Embassy is also active in supporting Irish business interests in the Algarve region through the Ireland-Portugal Business Network. Assisted by the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Emigrant Support Programme and by the Embassy at board level, the Network has a dedicated Algarve Committee which organises regular master class and networking events for its members. In addition to those in the tourism sector, these events focus on opportunities in the financial and legal services sectors among others.
The Embassy also supports Irish community and cultural activities in the region. In April 2022, the Deputy Head of Mission attended the region’s first-ever GAA tournament in Loulé, an event in which teams from across Portugal and the south of Spain participated. The region’s first-ever local GAA team was assembled for this occasion and the Embassy will continue its active engagement with local GAA structures to support the growth of Gaelic games across Portugal. The Embassy also maintains contact with the St. Patrick’s Society of the Algarve.
