COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR HHS PERSONNEL

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000198 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR HHS/OS/OGHA TERRY GAY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KSCA TBIO OTRA EI UK SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR HHS PERSONNEL REF: SECSTATE 30130 ¶1. Post welcomes and grants country clearance for Judith Fradkin, M.D., Director, Polly Sager, Ph.D., Assistant Director and Philip Budashewitz,R.Ph. to travel to Dublin, Ireland for the dates noted in Reftel. Purpose of visit is to meet with Irish and Northern Ireland counterparts to discuss areas of potential collaborative research under the U.S. - Ireland R&D Partnership. ¶2. Embassy Control Officer for this visit will be ECON Officer Joe Young, office telephone 353 1 630-6274, home telephone 353 1 667-3464 cell 353 87 415-8748, e-mail youngjm@state.gov. Embassy telephone number while in country is (01) 668-8777 during business house: (01) 668-9612 after hours. ¶3. Reservations have been made at the Herbert Park Hotel, Ballsbridge Terrace, Dublin 4, per reftel instructions. Telephone number 353 1 667-2200. Room rate is Euro 125 room only. Reference Amembassy Dublin. Post notes and appreciates the inclusion of fiscal data. ¶4. Please note that as of March 29, 2004, Ireland has instituted a complete smoking ban in the work place, including all pubs, restaurants, and hotel common areas. Violations of this law may result in a fine of up to Euro 3,000. Check with hotel staff upon arrival to determine if smoking is permitted in hotel room. GENERAL TRAVEL INFORMATION ¶5. Please be advised that there are no visa requirements for visitors traveling to Ireland on diplomatic or official passports. SECURITY INFORMATION FOR IRELAND ¶6. Post is unaware of direct threats against Americans or U.S. interests in Ireland, and Ireland remains a relatively safe country where anti-American sentiment is rare. For additional threat assessment information regarding Ireland, you may contact DS/DSS/ITA (Diplomatic Security's Office of Intelligence and Threat Assessment) in the State Department at 202-663-0787. TDY visitors staying longer than 30 days should schedule a briefing with the Regional Security Officer. ¶7. Street Crime: Like any large urban center, Dublin has its share of street crime, especially pick-pocketing and purse-snatching. Valuables should not be left unattended in cars and should be kept in hotel safe deposit boxes. Do not carry large amounts of cash. Violent confrontations and use of firearms are rare, however, and with reasonable precautions and common sense visitors should be able to enjoy a safe visit. Police services are excellent; the number for emergency services in Ireland is 999 or 112. ¶8. Terrorism: Ireland, like the rest of the world, shares an increased threat of terrorist incidents of international origin. Travelers should remain aware of their surroundings and report suspicious people or activities to the police or RSO. KENNY