Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

My question is about Ibrahim Halawa. Deputy Gerry Adams already referred to this. By now, all things being equal in a Dáil that functions as a democracy, we should have had a cross-party delegation visiting Cairo, of which the Taoiseach would probably have been part. We passed a motion in July to have a cross-party delegation to visit Cairo and to have the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Gendi, visit our Parliament to talk to the foreign affairs committee.

I am delighted to see the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, present because I believe he owes me 50 bucks. The last time I spoke on the floor here, Ibrahim Halawa was facing his 16th trial. That has now been postponed. He will face his 17th trial on 13 December unless we intervene. Intervention means direct intervention from the Taoiseach, not just support for the Rule 140 position, as indicated to Deputy Gerry Adams. What he needs to do is apply in his own name for Rule 140 to apply to Ibrahim Halawa. There is a window of opportunity over the next two days. The Egyptian Government has set up a special commission to which the Taoiseach can apply to have Ibrahim Halawa released on the basis that he is a young person who has not been convicted. He has been in Egyptian prisons for over three years and this is affecting his university education. That is the basis on which the Taoiseach can apply for his release. He has got two days to do so. The expiry date is 25 November. I plead with the Taoiseach, on behalf of the Halawa family, to make the application and see Mr. Halawa released shortly. As Deputy Adams stated, hundreds of prisoners have been released. In the past few days, over 80 have been released. The Egyptian Government has set up a commission and is inviting the Irish Government to call for the release of prisoners on the basis that they are young and that their continuing internment without trial would affect their university education. Can the Taoiseach please submit the application in his own name?

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