Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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Question 92: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the detention abroad of an Irish citizen (details supplied). [13594/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As the Deputy may be aware, our Embassy in New Delhi, which covers Sri Lanka, was notified in September 2007 that the person mentioned by him had been arrested on arrival at Colombo Airport, "under suspicion for involvement in terrorist activities" under order from the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka. I am informed that to date the person concerned has not been formally charged and the Sri Lankan authorities have indicated that the investigations into his activities are active and ongoing.

As mentioned in the Deputy's correspondence, my Department, through our Embassy in New Delhi and our Consular Assistance Section has provided and continues to provide extensive consular assistance to the person concerned and to his family here in Ireland. Our current and our previous Ambassador in New Delhi and our Honorary Consul in Sri Lanka have visited him in prison on numerous occasions and continue to raise his case at the highest level with the authorities there. The Honorary Consul, in fact, visited him in prison on our behalf as late as last Thursday the 26th.

I can assure the Deputy that my Department continues to call for him to be brought to trial or released as soon as possible and we maintain a high level of interest and involvement in his case. I can confirm to the Deputy that my officials remain in close and direct contact with the wife and family of the person mentioned by him and they liaise directly with her on any request for assistance or on any development on his case.