Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 April 2016
91. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the interventions his Department has made on behalf of a person (details supplied) who is incarcerated in prison in Egypt: the steps he has taken since the formation of the Thirty-second Dáil to expedite their release. [7823/16]
View answerThe case of this individual, who has been detained in Egypt for almost three years, continues to be of the highest priority for the Government and for my Department.
The Government remains focused on its two core objectives in this case, to secure the citizen’s release and to provide consular support for his welfare while he remains in detention. The Government and my Department have been engaging comprehensively with all relevant stakeholders throughout the period since this citizen was detained to progress these objectives. I and my officials have maintained constant and close contact with the Egyptian authorities. Last Thursday, I met with the Ambassador of Egypt, Ms Soha Gendi, in Dublin to discuss the latest developments and to once again underline our concerns about this case. On the same day, our Ambassador in Egypt, Mr. Damien Cole, engaged with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to deliver similar messages.
We are providing ongoing consular assistance to the individual including through regular prison visits and the monitoring of all trial hearings. The most recent visit took place on Sunday last, 17 April, during which Ambassador Cole met with this Irish citizen in the prison near Cairo. The Embassy has attended all trial hearings to date and intends also to be present at the next hearing which is scheduled for 29 June.
My officials are also liaising closely with his Egyptian legal team, other states who have had citizens in similar situations, with our European and international partners represented in Egypt, and with the European Union.
We also liaise closely with the citizen’s family in Ireland and their representatives. The most recent meeting between my officials and the citizen’s family and their legal representatives took place on 20 April.
The Government and my Department will continue this work through all diplomatic and political channels to achieve our objective of seeing this citizen returned to Ireland as soon as possible.
