Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I take this opportunity to express my horror at the two attacks on Coptic churches in northern Egypt on Sunday. I have spoken with the Egyptian ambassador and have conveyed through her my deepest condolences and those of the Irish Government to the victims and their families.

The consular case referred to by the Deputy continues to be an absolute priority for the Government, and very substantial resources and time are being devoted to it. The case has seen more high level political engagement, more investment of person-hours, more consultation with third parties worldwide and more consular visits and court hearing observation missions undertaken than in any other case to which the Irish Government has ever responded. This is in light of the unique circumstances of the case, in particular the fact that the citizen concerned was a minor at the time of his arrest.

The Government has repeatedly and consistently called on the Egyptian authorities to allow this citizen to return to his family and his home in Ireland. We have supported legal petitions for this man to be returned to Ireland under Egyptian Law 140, we have appealed for him to be considered for release under the Egyptian President's so-called youth amnesty scheme and we have stressed in all contacts the humanitarian dimensions of the case as grounds under which we believe he should be released. The Taoiseach, as the House is aware, has in recent days renewed the Government's appeal to the Egyptian President to release this Irish citizen and return him to Ireland without delay, stressing in particular the humanitarian dimensions of the case. This is the Government's objective, and we are working day-in, day-out to seek that outcome.

I repeated this position when I met my Egyptian counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shoukry, again last month. In recent days, I have also spoken at length with the EU High Representative, Ms Mogherini, about the case and availed of the opportunity of my meeting with the Secretary General of the Arab League, who is also a former Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, to enlist his assistance in trying to persuade the Egyptian authorities to release our citizen.

The court case in which this person is accused is now moving forward, and recent hearings have been more substantive with shorter periods between court sittings. At the most recent hearing, on 5 April, 11 more witnesses were called and cross-examined and gave evidence. This is important because the Egyptian authorities have consistently said that President el-Sisi and his Government cannot intervene in a case that is before the courts and that the President will only intervene when the trial has ended.

It is also noteworthy that at that most recent hearing the lawyers representing our Irish citizen made a request for his release on health grounds and the presiding judge undertook to examine the matter. The same judge has previously ordered on a number of occasions that there should be medical evaluations of this man's health. The next hearing of the case is scheduled to take place on 26 April. Officials from the Irish Embassy will again be in court to observe proceedings, as they have been at every hearing of the case to date.

For my part, I will continue to work urgently at political level to maintain pressure on the Egyptian Government to release our citizen and allow him to return to his home and his family at the earliest opportunity.

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