Vol. 405 No. 2
21 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the arrangements he has made to ensure the provision of gas masks and other protective equipment for Irish citizens in the Gulf area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Since the invasion of Kuwait on 2 August, the Government have given priority to the safety and welfare of our citizens in the Gulf area. We have offered appropriate advice to those concerned about their situation and have actively assisted those Irish citizens who wished to leave the area to do so.
Last year, the Government sent suitable protective equipment to the Gulf area to be distributed to Irish citizens in danger of exposure to chemical weapons in the event of war. The Embassy in Riyadh have now distributed gas masks to those Irish citizens who have chosen to remain in the areas of Saudi Arabia, such as the Eastern Province, Riyadh or Tabuk, which might be vulnerable to chemical weapon attacks. We have arranged for the British Embassies in Bahrain and Qatar to distribute, on our behalf, gas masks to Irish citizens in those two countries, which are also within missile range. The Embassy in Riyadh will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide gas masks to our citizens in other areas in the Gulf if that is considered appropriate.
I am satisfied that our consular arrangements to safeguard our citizens in the Gulf area are working satisfactorily. The Government will, of course, continue to keep them under constant review.
