Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House and I thank him for taking this important debate. I join others who have expressed deep concern about the ongoing detention of Ibrahim Halawa. All of us are well aware of the background to the case. He was detained originally aged 17 in August 2013 and, therefore, still a child. Almost three years later at the age of 20, he remains incarcerated having spent more than 1,000 days in prison without trial. A number of us have raised the case a few times in recent years and have always been told to wait for the next date on which he was due to appear in court on the basis that a development would arise then. I was told this just last week when I raised the case privately with officials. Yesterday, there was a further adjournment - the 14th - of the trial. I was a criminal justice practitioner for many years in our courts. That number of adjournments over three years is unprecedented and would be a cause for considerable concern in any normal functioning criminal court system. Looking at the language used, this most recent adjournment until October has been a particular blow to all concerned. Indeed, Mr. Halawa's solicitor, Mr. Darragh Macken, described yesterday's outcome as an appalling surprise. Mr. Colm O'Gorman from Amnesty International has described the latest postponement as a devastating blow. I echo the assertion of Senator Grace O'Sullivan that it requires a new urgency at Irish governmental level in seeking the release of Mr. Halawa.

I note from the Minister's language, both in the statement he issued yesterday and in his speech today, a welcome ratcheting up of pressure on the Egyptian authorities. Everyone has acknowledged that this issue has dominated relations between Dublin and Cairo for the past three years. The Minister pointed out the extensive consular activity - I noted 51 consular visits, etc. - but it simply has not had the expected or desired impact and we now need to see a ratcheting up of pressure.

On behalf of the Labour Senators, I support Senators Grace O'Sullivan's and Ruane's motion seeking that the presidential decree to be applied to secure the release of Mr. Halawa. Labour Senators have also submitted a shorter motion simply calling for increased efforts to secure the release of Mr. Halawa and I think all of us in this House of whatever party will support that. We have the utmost concern about the continued detention of Mr. Halawa, about the breach of human rights, about the conditions in which he is held and about, most recently, this appalling further adjournment until October.