Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason his Department refused to help persons (details supplied). [10766/08]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason he refused to meet the family of a person (details supplied); and if he has since requested a meeting with the family to offer further help. [10767/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together.

As the Deputy will be aware from my reply to him of 14 February 2008 and previous replies, my Department has provided wide ranging, sensitive and, in many ways, exceptional consular assistance to the family of the person concerned since his tragic death in Lanzarote on 1 August 2007. This assistance included: extensive efforts to expedite the repatriation of the person's remains and personal belongings; a contribution towards the costs of travel expenses incurred by the family; the translation without charge of several complex Spanish legal documents; updating and obtaining sensitive information for the family on the Spanish police investigation; and the provision of assistance with complex legal matters in Lanzarote.

My Department also arranged, as an exceptional additional measure, for the services of a local lawyer to be provided on a pro bono basis for the family over a period of several months. As the Deputy is aware, the conduct of the investigation into this tragic death is clearly a matter for the Spanish authorities. On 13 February, the investigating magistrate decided to provisionally close the investigation into the case on the grounds that there was no evidence that the person's death was caused by a crime. Based on the autopsy and extensive toxicological tests, the judge concluded that the death was the result of natural causes. My Department communicated this information to the family within minutes of becoming aware of it. My Department also advised that any appeal would have to be made by the family within three working days.

On my instructions, senior officials from my Department have met on my behalf with the family of the person concerned on several occasions. As a result, I have been kept fully informed of developments in the case and am satisfied that every possible assistance has been provided, and if requested, will continue to be provided.