Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 19: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the arrest and detention of Hana Shalabi by the Israeli authorities under their administrative detention procedure, the fact that she is currently more than 34 days into a hunger strike and reportedly unable to move due to her weak condition; if he will call on the Israeli authorities to release her immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17181/12]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 21: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he will take to apply pressure on Israel to seriously address the underlying reasons behind the growing protests of Palestinian political prisoners and to end the large scale practice of internment without charge or trial known as administrative detentions. [17220/12]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 35: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will publicly call for the protection of the life of the 30 year old Palestinian woman, Hana Shalabi, resident of Burqin village near Jenin, who was re-arrested on 16 February 2012 and is being held in Hasharon Prison where she has been on hunger strike since that same date in protest of her violent arrest; and if he will call for her immediate transfer to a hospital, with adequate care that is uninterrupted by frequent and unnecessary transfers. [17219/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 21 and 35 together.

I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputies. Hana Shalabi was released last October as part of the prisoner exchange deal concluded between the Israeli government and Hamas for the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. She had spent over two years in administrative detention by the time of her release. She was re-arrested on 16 February and immediately commenced a hunger strike.

Ms Shalabi was transferred over a week ago to an Israeli civilian hospital due to her deteriorating health. I am very concerned that her hunger strike has reached the point that her health is being jeopardised. While visits by her lawyer and family were suspended following her transfer to the civilian hospital, I understand her lawyer has visited this week, and I urge that her family be allowed to visit her as soon as possible.

At my request, the Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv has raised Ms. Shalabi's case with the Israeli authorities and has urged steps be taken to reach a resolution which would allow Ms. Shalabi to end her hunger strike. The EU Delegation in Tel Aviv will also raise and express concern regarding Ms. Shalabi's case with the Israeli authorities and urge a resolution which averts her continued hunger strike.

I have made my views regarding administrative detention very clear in this House. I recognise that States facing serious threat sometimes have to enact emergency powers. But such powers should be limited as much as possible, carefully safeguarded and in accordance with international law. I do not accept that it is compatible with international law to detain a person for a prolonged period, or repeatedly renew a detention order, without a case coming to trial.

Ireland and our EU Partners have been active for some time in raising the practice of administrative detention and urging the Israeli authorities to move away from and end its use. Such representations appear to have had some effect, with the overall numbers in administrative detention falling considerably in recent years. We will continue to press on this issue as well as on the specific case of Ms Shalabi.