Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ibrahim Halawa is an Irish citizen who has been detained without trial in Egypt for four years. That, to me, is something that is utterly unacceptable. He was detained when he was 17 years old and was a minor. I think a lot of work has been done by the authorities, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and others, to assist in his release. I know the Ceann Comhairle led a delegation with regard to that and carried out a very important role in the efforts to ensure he is released and given a pardon. The current state of play is that this cannot happen until the trial happens but the trial keeps on being delayed, which has us in a very difficult situation at the moment.

He wrote to me last week and I have read the letter. I welcome the fact that in the letter he said he has ended his hunger strike.

I will set aside some time next week to consider what additional options or measures could be taken by the Government to assist in his early release but, of course, I do not want to do anything that might turn out to be counterproductive so I need to study it a little more myself.

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