Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Zappone for raising this important issue. I assure her and the House that the objectives on the part of the Government in this case are two-fold: first, to see the release of Mr. Ibrahim Halawa by the Egyptian authorities so that he can return to his family and his studies in Dublin; and, second, to provide consular support for his health and welfare while he remains in detention.

Having regard to the fact that the trial is ongoing, the Government must be extremely careful to ensure that its actions, both public and private, are well judged and do not detract from our goal of securing positive progress for Ibrahim Halawa at the earliest possible opportunity. The further adjournment of the trial, as outlined by the Senator, was a disappointment and I have conveyed the Government's ongoing concern about the continued delays to both Egypt's Foreign Minister and the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland, both of whom I contact on a regular basis. Embassy officials are preparing to be at the next hearing of the trial, which is scheduled to take place next week on 15 December.

I assure the Senator that within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this consular case continues to receive a very high level of priority. I acknowledge the Senator's comments in that regard. In addition to the 48 consular visits conducted thus far, the case has also been raised at the highest level between the Taoiseach and President al-Sisi, most recently last month. I have also raised the issue on several occasions with my Egyptian counterpart, the Foreign Minister, Mr. Sanaeh Shoukry. I have raised the issue on a regular basis with the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland, Ms Soha Gendi, and with the European Union’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, Ms Federica Mogherini. My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also recently raised the case with the Minister, Mr. Shoukry, when they met at the migration summit in Valletta, Malta.

While Ibrahim Halawa remains imprisoned, our focus is on Ibrahim's welfare and I am naturally concerned about reports that he may have embarked on a hunger strike. Such a course of action could be damaging to his health and I cannot see how in any way this course of action could contribute to positive progress on the case. I know of the Senator's interest in this case over a long period and I urge her and anyone who has the best interests of this citizen at heart to do everything within their power to dissuade him from this course of action. They should encourage him to engage in all and every nutritional activity.

The Irish Government has formally supported the applications made to the court to secure Ibrahim's release on bail and under decree 140, which grants a discretionary power of release to the Egyptian President. The bail application, as the Senator is aware, is exclusively a matter for the court's determination. In regard to decree 140, we have been repeatedly advised by the Egyptian authorities that this discretion will only be considered after the trial has concluded. We expect there will be progress in this regard next week, on 15 December. In the meantime, I assure the Senator that we will continue to avail of all appropriate opportunities to respectfully remind the authorities in Egypt of our concern for this citizen's health and welfare.Our wish and priority will be that he will be able to return to his family in Ireland at the earliest possible opportunity.