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T\u00e1naiste Simon Coveney is \u201cconfident\u201d of securing seats for its citizens on a French evacuation flight from China, the Government has said.<\/p>\nT\u00e1naiste Simon Coveney is \u201cconfident\u201d of securing seats for its citizens on a French evacuation flight from China, the Government has said.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Affairs Minister said his department would do everything necessary to contain any potential risk of the spread of coronavirus.<\/p>\n
A small number of Irish citizens in the low single figures have sought help through the embassy in Beijing, he added.<\/p>\n
Mr Coveney said: \u201cWe have spoken to our French colleagues and we are hopeful and confident that we can secure a seat on planes that would take Irish citizens who want to leave out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen, when they arrive back in Europe, they will have to go through the appropriate health measures to ensure that they are not carrying infection and their healthcare needs are being looked after as they should be.\u201d<\/p>\n
The minister was in Waterford canvassing for next week\u2019s General Election, and said there was no evidence that any Irish citizen had contracted the virus.<\/p>\n
He added that efforts were being made to help those with concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are working on that process and I am confident that we can support any Irish citizen anywhere in China, but particularly in the region concerned,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can support them if they want to leave, we can find a way of getting them out, working with other EU countries who are more than happy to help.\u201d<\/p>\n
No commercial flights from the coronavirus-affected region of China are available but EU states are co-operating to make special arrangements, Mr Coveney added.<\/p>\n