British v Irish Consulates
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Due credit should be given to the Alicante-based British consulate. The consul and his staff are rarely out of the newspapers. They are obviously very active on behalf of British residents and visitors to the region. I wish the same could be said of the Irish consulate.
It is run from an office situated inside an office on an industrial estate; that office is part of a fruit importers. Trying to get them to do anything is a lesson in futility so if you’re British I hope your superior performing consulate gives some comfort. Don’t even think of arranging a swap. Our Irish office should be renamed The Consulate of the Republic of Lethargy.
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Thanks, Patricia. I did put the Madrid embassy in the picture. Credit to them, they were on the case immediately. As it so happens the passport arrived in Madrid today and is being sent by registered post to Alicante consul. Hopefully to be picked up on or before Friday. I fly out on the Sunday.
I also complained to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Dublin. All this worry and trouble could so easily have been avoided by a brief 10c telephone call. "We will let you know as soon as it arrives. If it fails to do so we will of course forward it to the consultate or embassy at your country and city of choice."
Like is that such a big deal? I am sorry but if I were back in business and had a job application; if it was clear the applicant's working history was in public service, I wouldn't consider them for a moment. They would not survive a day in a commercially driven environment. The problem is the Alicante consulate staff. Talk about inertia!
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Hello Mike:
I think the problem may well be that the consul in Alicante is only an Honorary Consul. Not too sure what the extent of his duties and powers might be. .
Found this:
"Unlike career consuls, honorary consuls are not directly compensated by the sending country and are not considered civil servants. Instead, they operate on a ceremonial level while also working to improve commercial, cultural and scientific relations between nations. In most cases, honorary consuls are already expatriates to a certain country or have established long-term residency there. Honorary consul usage has risen in recent years as they perform many of the same functions as career consuls but are much less costly to the sending country."
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Thanks, both. In fact (blush) my renewed passport didn't cost me a penny. At the time of ordering in March there was no charge for those who were retired. I understand that since April 11 the cost is in accordance with that of any other Irish citizen. I just squeaked through there. Phew. I hate subsidising banks and their shareholders.
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High time the Brit government did something along those lines too, although as you rightly said the Irish Government have now stopped free renewals for pensioners. Probably in an attempt to help towards paying back the bail-out....
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