General Information for Delegates Traveling to Ireland

Passport and Visa

There are no visa requirements for EU passport holders to enter Ireland. Non-EU citizens should contact their local embassies for specific requirements. Further information can be obtained from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs website. Participants requiring a visa are strongly advised to make their application well in advance and allow at least 8 weeks for the application to be processed if applying from abroad. All foreign citizens entering Ireland must be in possession of a valid passport. All citizens of non-EU countries, whether they require a visa or not, are subject to immigration control at the point of entry to Ireland. Where a delegate is unable to attend because of failure to obtain a visa the registration fee will be refunded, subject to the normal cancellation policy.

Applying for a Visa

We have contacted the visa office at the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service with details of the conference and indicated that a number of delegates will require visas. This should facilitate the processing of your visa application.

Visit http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000217 for details regarding the requirements from prospective conference delegates. Please note the key points below.

• Letter from conference host - email phen2010 at tcd.ie to obtain this letter. Letters can only be provided to delegates that have registered for the conference and paid the registration fee.
• All letters submitted as part of your visa application should be on official headed paper and give full contact details for verification purposes. Please note that the contact details must include a landline telephone number and that email address such as Yahoo or Hotmail are not accepted.

Official language

The official conference language is English.

Health and Insurance

Participants are advised to arrange their own insurance for health, travel and property. It is recommended that citizens from EU countries bring with them a current EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). The Organizers will not accept any liability for personal injuries, loss or damage to property.

Smoking Ban

Under Irish law, smoking is not permitted in pubs, restaurants, hotel lobbies and most public areas.

Currency and Money Exchange

The currency in Ireland is the Euro. Foreign currency can be exchanged at the airport, at banks, in post offices, hotels or foreign exchange offices. All major Credit Cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops. Most transactions are done with cash. Banks are open Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm.

Electricity Supply

Electricity supply in Ireland is 220 Volts, and plugs are the three pin type.

Climate

Dublin has a mild climate. The weather in June is usually pleasant with average daily temperatures of about 14 C, or 57 F. Rain is common, so it's advisable to bring a rain coat and an umbrella! Ireland operates on GMT.