Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister might be able to give me this information by way of a note rather than an immediate response. In the visit to Cairo by the delegation representing this Parliament, when meeting the European delegation we made a strong case that the European Union representatives in Cairo should take a particular role in monitoring the ongoing case of Ibrahim Halawa. They do not directly monitor it at present. I noted from our discussions that there are different views within the 28 in terms of the adoption of a certain approach and I understand that following our visit, at the same time as the last hearing was taking place, there was a meeting of European Union representatives in Cairo to consider that issue. It would be informative if the Department could provide us with background details, merely in terms of the outcome of that meeting, whether there will be European Union monitoring of Ibrahim Halawa's further case visits.

With regard to the monitoring of refugees within Syria, I note Deputy Crowe referred to the UNHCR. Is there a European Union monitoring process and is there feedback or updates from that can be shared by way of note with me and other Members of the Parliament in order that we can get an assessment of the European Union's assessment of the refugee situation in Turkey, particularly of those Syrian refugees? That would be much appreciated.

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