Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very much aware of this difficult consular case in the Philippines and I and Department officials have been giving the matter priority attention for some time. The case, which has been ongoing since 2013, involves an Irish citizen, currently on bail, who is appealing against his conviction and 12-year prison sentence for possession of drugs. The individual concerned has consistently maintained his innocence in the matter. There is no doubt that the case has been further complicated by the domestic environment in the Philippines since July and the severe counter-drugs actions being pursued by President Duterte. The Irish Government, at political and official levels, regularly raises this case with senior representatives of the Government of the Philippines.

Department officials at headquarters in Dublin, at our embassy in Singapore, which is accredited to the Philippines, and our honorary consul in Manila have been engaged in this case for some time and have provided consular assistance to the citizen and his family. The case has also been raised formally with the ambassador of the Philippines to Ireland. I have personally raised my concerns about this case with senior Filipino Government contacts, most recently in New York in September. In that meeting last month with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Government of the Philippines, I took the opportunity to emphasise my specific concerns about the case, including about the health and welfare of this Irish citizen.

For any Irish citizen subject to criminal proceedings abroad, Department officials will offer non-judgmental advice and any appropriate practical help that they can, irrespective of the alleged offence, and regardless of whether the individual is ultimately deemed to be innocent or guilty, is on remand or has already been sentenced by a court of law.

The Department’s priorities in cases of arrest or detention focus on ensuring that the Irish citizen involved is not discriminated against in any way on account of his nationality, and has access to appropriate legal representation and that the authorities in the country where he is detained fulfil their obligations in ensuring the citizen’s health and well-being. In this case, an initial priority was to seek to ensure that the individual had access to legal representation. To this end, he was provided with a list of local English-speaking lawyers. The Department also assisted the citizen by providing details of relevant medical care professionals at his request. It is the policy of my Department to raise promptly with the relevant local authorities concerns that detained Irish citizens may raise about their safety or treatment, including health concerns. In this case, Department officials made representations to the prison service and the foreign ministry in the Philippines regarding the treatment of the individual during his period of detention in 2013. Thereafter, our embassy in Singapore and our honorary consulate in Manila assisted with the bail order and conditions following the five day period of detention. The Government, through our embassy in Singapore, raised with the authorities in Manila the concerns of the individual regarding the matter of the court case. I and the Department officials pressed the Filipino authorities to expedite the appeals process in this case on humanitarian grounds. I can assure the Deputies that the Filipino authorities are fully aware that I and the Department are following this case closely and that we are concerned about the individual's health and well-being. Department officials in Manila and Singapore will continue to maintain contact with this citizen and his family and will provide whatever further appropriate consular assistance they can in the circumstances.

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