Noel Whelan: We can be proud of Irish Consul’s efforts in dark days in Berkeley

Noel Whelan, irishtimes.com

‘The Twitter feed is but one small element of the public effort in which the Consul General Philip Grant and his colleagues engaged’

‘The difficult task the consul general and his colleagues do in these days is done on behalf of all of us.’ Above, Philip Grant, consul general of Ireland to the Western United States (right) speaks to the media with Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates following a wreath-laying ceremony at the scene of the fourth-storey apartment building balcony collapse in Berkeley, California this week. Photograph: REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

The trend worldwide has been for foreign services to engage more in public diplomacy and trade and investment promotion. This week, however, we got to appreciate the basic function and value of having embassies in so many different countries, and indeed of having a network of consulates across the United States.

It is at times of crisis and tragedy that our ambassadors, consuls and consular staff do some of their most valuable work. Usually this is done discreetly to protect the privacy of victims and families. Sometimes, however, a tragedy involving Irish nationals abroad is such that the State’s public face is required on the ground.

The Irish Consulate in San Francisco has responsibility for the western US. If you scroll through its Twitter feed you get a sense of the routine work in which a foreign service engages. Recent posts include pictures of “reach out” events to tech companies in Silicon Valley.

• Berkeley tragedy: Students who died ‘have become children of Ireland’
• Berkeley tragedy: Balcony builder may face charges
• Berkeley tragedy: First responder describes scene
• Profiles: the students injured in the Berkeley balcony tragedy
• New York Times piece on Berkeley ‘disappoints’ Taoiseach
• Berkeley: President speaks of ‘enormous tragedy’ as parents prepare to bring bodies home
• Hundreds attend Berkeley vigil for those killed and injured
• Company that built Library Gardens in Berkeley paid $3m to settle case last year

Poignant tweet

It tweeted several Yeats quotes to remind US followers of the 150th Yeats anniversary events in Ireland. Last week it tweeted coverage of an event at city hall to mark the start of San Francisco pride week at which there was special mention for Ireland. Ten days ago there was even a light- hearted, though now poignant tweet reminding J-1 students to take care of their passports over the summer.

Immediately after the tragedy on Tuesday the tone and content of the feed changed. It focused initially on encouraging J-1 students to phone home. Then it turned to thanking local agencies for their help and to co-ordinating offers of assistance. On Thursday and Friday it focused on publicising a J-1 drop-in counselling centre and vigil events in Berkeley.

The Twitter feed is but one small element of the public effort in which Consul General Philip Grant and his colleagues engaged. We all saw the thoughtful, respectful and informative way he addressed media in Berkeley on Tuesday. The largest part of the consulate’s valuable work is no doubt being done out of public view with the families and friends of those killed and injured as they seek to comprehend their horrendous loss.

Irish diplomats receive some training nowadays in how to deal with such events, although of course each event is different. Empathy can’t be taught and, above all else, the diplomats are left relying on their innate communications skills.

Best practice emphasises how vital it is to keep names of known deceased and injured from being published in the media until families have been informed. This can be a real challenge in a world of rapid internet communication and when some elements of the media are inclined to behave unethically. Often the reason ambassadors and consuls must get out in front of media is to shield victims and families from intrusion.

Experience also shows that mayors and civic authorities sit up and take notice, and pull out the stops or even more stops, when an embassy gets involved.

The work of Irish diplomats in these situations is supplemented by other unsung heroes, such as local church personnel or Irish community leaders with whom the embassies will often have long- standing relationships.

Above all else, just being there, at the scene or town where the incident occurred, is important in and of itself.

Back in Ireland the key function for foreign affairs officials and Ministers is the co-ordination of information in order to deal with queries from those concerned about the whereabouts of their loved ones.

One of the lessons learned from the Asian tsunami in 2004 was the need to establish a dedicated emergency consular crisis centre for such events. This centre has been used for several situations since and was in operation almost immediately once news from Berkeley made its way this week to Iveagh House, headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The effort is also focused on getting an appropriate message out to the wider public at home to offer reassurance.

Focus on efforts to assist and comfort

We know nothing of how the Consul General in San Francisco first became aware of the tragedy in Berkeley in the early hours of Tuesday and how he and his team swung into action. It would be a distraction, an insult even, to ask the department for that detail this week. All their focus in California and in Dublin is on efforts to assist and comfort the families directly affected, the visiting students and the wider Irish and Irish-American community in Berkeley and California.

In Ireland we are left with a sense of powerlessness, wishing there was something we could do to help. In some ways that is why it is important, even at this stage, to acknowledge the efforts of the Consul General and his colleagues. The difficult task they do in these days is done on behalf of all of us. In doing it they represent Ireland in the truest sense.