Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleague Senator Naughton in her call for a statement from the Minister for Justice and Equality with regard to the bodies of babies found in Tuam and other locations. There is great human suffering and misery to be addressed and I urge the Minister not to rush the statement. The information has been made available to her quite recently so we need a comprehensive statement dealing with this in its entirety and dealing with what the Government proposes.

I assure Senator Terry Leyden that everything possible is being done to secure the release of Ibrahim Halawa, the Irish teenager who has been in prison in Egypt since August. On Thursday, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, of which I am a member, met his family members to discuss the issue. The family expressed its gratitude for the wonderful support it receives from the Irish Embassy and for the frequency of visits made to their son. The family urged us to keep the pressure on the Egyptian Government to have him released as a matter of urgency. The Tánaiste has taken the matter very seriously.

It is timely that the Taoiseach is in Silicon Valley for three days, focused on securing investment and jobs for Ireland and supporting Irish firms and entrepreneurs. He will visit the headquarters of many of the major multinationals located here. That comes on the back of additional good news published in a recent Red C survey showing that conditions are improving for SMEs. Some 74% of respondents say they have improved turnover or that it has stabilised, and 23%, a significant number, will be adding employees this year. The situation is improving and I wish the Taoiseach every success in his significant trade mission to Silicon Valley.