Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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619. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his efforts to secure the release of a person (details supplied) detained in Egypt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6051/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Government is pursuing every viable avenue to secure the release of this citizen and will continue to bring all of our influence to bear on his behalf through all appropriate channels.

As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade I have engaged extensively on this citizen’s case with my Egyptian counterpart, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sameh Shoukry, and with Egypt’s Ambassador to Ireland, Ms. Soha Gendi. The Taoiseach has raised this case at the highest level with the Egyptian President, Mr. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Officials from my Department and our Embassy in Cairo are in regular and frequent contact with the relevant Egyptian authorities.

The Government has also raised the case at senior levels with the European Union and the European External Action Service (EEAS). I have raised the case directly on a number of occasions with High Representative and Commission Vice President Mogherini, and she in turn has discussed the case with senior Egyptian Government interlocutors.

The Egyptian Government is in no doubt about the Irish Government’s position and our desire to see this Irish citizen released as soon as possible.

Significant resources continue to be deployed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, both in Cairo and in Dublin, in the provision of comprehensive consular assistance to both the citizen concerned and his family. A number of interventions related to this citizen’s treatment and welfare in detention have been made on his behalf with the Egyptian authorities, and we continue to pay close attention to all aspects of his welfare. The most recent consular visit took place on 11 February and was undertaken by the Dublin-based Director of the Consular Division in my Department, accompanied also by officials from our Embassy in Cairo. Embassy officials have attended all court hearings so far – a clear demonstration of the importance we attach to this case.

The Government will remain resolute in pursuing what we firmly believe to be in this citizen’s best interests and to be most likely to contribute to a positive outcome for him.