Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for the reply. It is almost as if it is business as usual with Egypt and that we have moved on quickly from where we were. As someone who, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, enjoyed cordial, productive and constructive engagement with Egypt, the previous regime notwithstanding, it is important that we do not step back from advocating for respect for human rights and due process, within Egypt itself and elsewhere. It cannot be merely all is forgiven. There has to be some evaluation of the fact that a person, an Irish citizen, was four years without any due process. That is not satisfactory. There has to be some form of protest and some process by which we communicate that and continue to raise it.

At European level and elsewhere, we need to be a strong voice in favour of continuing to put pressure on countries, such as Egypt, which are important neighbours. Egypt has an important role to play in the Middle East. Notwithstanding whatever economic and trading ties we have, this chapter must inform the next chapter, but the next one has to be a different chapter. The practices of the present Egyptian Government are unacceptable, particularly in relation to human rights and due process. That is something that we have experienced in the form of an Irish citizen being deprived of his rights. We cannot simply close the chapter and move on quickly into other areas.

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