The Taoiseach has said that the Governments's advice to Irish people in the affected countries in the Middle East remains to shelter in place.
Micheál Martin said there is a consular crisis centre established in the Department of Foreign Affairs and they are in contact with airlines and all of the Irish embassies in the Gulf and maintaining contact with citizens.
There are an estimated 20,000 Irish citizens in the Gulf states.
He added they are encouraging everyone in the region to register with the Department.
The Department has set up a consular line that is being manned 24/7.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said a limited number of commercial flights are scheduled to depart Abu Dhabi Zayed Airport, UAE later.
"We understand that passengers stranded in transit are being prioritised, and that airlines are in direct contact with those eligible to travel.
"Unless you have been advised by your airline that they have booked you on a flight, Irish citizens should continue to shelter in place," she said in a post on X.
Contact information and travel advice
Citizens registration: citizensregistration.dfa.ie
DFAT Crisis Team number: 01-4082000
For more travel advice check here
Lebanon
Mr Martin said that Lebanon was an area of "high tension" but that he had confidence in the leadership of UNIFIL to keep soliders safe.
Irish personnel serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon are safe and accounted for, the Minister for Foreign Affairs McEntee said earlier.
She added that she was in regular contact with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.
Asked about whether the US-Israeli actions taken against Iran over the weekend, the Taoiseach said that the situation had to be looked at in a balanced way.
He added that Iran has had a terrible regime.
"Not so long ago we all had to observe thousands of Iranians being killed and executed because they were protesting against the government and there was nothing anybody could do about it."
He added however that a small country like Ireland favours a rule based international order and depends on it.
He said that the recent attack on Iran does not have a United Nations mandate, but that the UN is in need of urgent reform.
He said it has not had the capacity to deal with regimes like Iran, "which has been part of the malign influence in terms of the Middle East".
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Earlier, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne urged all Irish citizens to sign up to the Department of Foreign Affairs' citizens registration platform to receive the most up-to-date information and advice.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said the Government cannot recommend land routes as a means to leave the region, "because of the sheer number of Irish people that are there".
"You may get to another country, but the question would be, would you be able to fly out of that country? So that's not something that we can recommend, and that's why the advice very clearly has to be to shelter in place," he added.
Minister Byrne said those there should follow the social media platforms of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in UAE.
He said Ireland's embassies in the region, including Iran and Israel, will "be posting information as it becomes available, and we'll be working with our European colleagues to get the best possible information and to have people as safe as possible".
Minister Byrne said the situation is being closely monitored and the Government's primary concern remains for those affected Irish citizens.
Asked why the Government has been cautious in its response to the weekend US-Israel attack on Iran, Minister Byrne said the situation was "highly complex and evolving" and at present, it was up to those involved to justify their actions.
He added that there would be time for condemnation "subsequently", saying his first concern was for Irish citizens caught up in the situation.
— Irish Embassy UAE (@IrelandEmbUAE) March 2, 2026
Flight cancellations
All flights scheduled to operate between Dublin Airport and airports in the Middle East have been cancelled by airlines today, with daa saying there is no end in sight to flight disruption.
Spokesperson for daa Graeme McQueen said there was "no certainty" regarding when airspace and airports in the Middle East will reopen, so further disruption to flight schedules over the coming days is possible.
Speaking on the same programme, he said between 5,000-6,000 passengers have been impacted so far by cancelled flights as there are 12 to 14 flights going to Middle East destinations from Dublin Airport every day.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
"As always, passengers are advised to contact their airline directly for the latest updates on the status of their flight," he said.
"It is another day of disruption for passengers due to travel to the Middle East," Mr McQueen added, following the cancellation of 23 flights over the weekend.
