Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is my hope that we will be in a position to have EU monitoring. I assure the Deputy in the meantime, however, the Irish Government and our representative in Cairo continue to be actively engaged and to attend at each and every one of the hearings to date. While we await the conclusion of the trial, I assure the House that every effort is being made to secure the health and welfare of our citizen while he remains on remand. The Government's strategy is under continuous review. We have engaged in continuous and constant consultation with the family of Ibrahim Halawa, the lawyers acting on his behalf here in Ireland and in Egypt, experts from civil society and NGOs which have shown an interest in the case. As I have said before, if any Member of the House believes he or she can be of any assistance, I am happy to speak to him or her. My officials have offered to brief any Member who wishes to discuss the case.

This is an extremely complex case as the Deputy will have seen on his visit to Cairo. This is not something which can be dealt with satisfactorily, positively or conclusively by, as has rather glibly been said, lifting the phone. This complex case is receiving very significant attention and resources in my Department. Resources have also been applied from the Department of the Taoiseach and members of the Government will continue to actively engage until the matter is finally dealt with.

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