More Irish citizens are now looking to leave Afghanistan, the Foreign Affairs Minister has confirmed.
Simon Coveney says Ireland's now working with other countries to get a total of 33 Irish citizens - 25 adults and eight children - onto planes out of Kabul.
Figures given earlier this week indicated there were 15 Irish citizens looking to leave the country following the rapid Taliban takeover.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Minister Coveney said the situation at Kabul airport is still chaotic, but work is underway to get people out of the country.
He said: “The number of Irish citizens looking to leave Afghanistan has increased slightly over the last 24 hours - it’s now 33 people. That’s 25 adults and eight dependents.
"We are working with other EU countries, as you’d expect, to secure places for them on military flights out of Kabul airport.
“At the moment, the reports from Kabul airport are still quite chaotic. It’s not easy for even military planes to fly in and out.”
However, officials here are working with the EU and UK to ensure there will be a place on planes for Irish citizens.
Minister Coveney explained: "Really we’re relying on the US, in particular, to secure safe passage through Kabul airport.
“This is a fluid situation, so you can’t say anything with certainty. What I can say is we had a very good discussion yesterday at the foreign affairs council in the EU.
"A lot was discussed… and one of the things was that EU countries would work together to ensure that every country’s citizens can get out.”
Meanwhile, there are increasing calls from aid organisations for Ireland to take in more people who are fleeing Afghanistan.
The Government has already agreed to take 195 people fleeing the county, but the Irish Refugee Council is calling on officials to take in at least 1,000.
Minister Coveney said he'd like Ireland to do more, but there's a need to plan for that properly.
He said Ireland was one of the first countries in the EU to actually announce a number of refugees "as a starting position".
He said authorities have already “more or less” agreed on a list of an initial 150 people, saying the list was agreed with NGOs and humanitarian organisations who are "desperately" looking to get people out of Afghanistan.
The remaining 45 people will be linked to EU and Irish projects and organisations in Afghanistan.
