Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 March 2012
52 Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will assist in the case of an Irish national (details supplied) in County Tipperary who was imprisoned in France in March 2010, who has been released and is back home, but theircar, cash and other contents were never returned to them by the French authorities. [15455/12]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department offered all possible assistance in this case, through our Embassy in Paris and the Consular Assistance section in Dublin, during this person's detention in France. I am informed that our Embassy in Paris contacted the investigating Magistrate's Office in January 2012. The Magistrate's Office confirmed that the file of the person referred to remains open and advised that the Irish citizen should make inquiries with the relevant authorities there to determine the current status of his case, including the return of his property. Therefore, he may need to engage the services of a lawyer to assist him with his case. Our Embassy in Paris remains available to provide a list of English-speaking lawyers if this would be of assistance to him.
