Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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375. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a person (details supplied) including the person's condition and health. [7791/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been providing consular assistance to this Irish citizen and his family since his detention. The focus in such cases is to ensure that the Irish citizen has access to legal representation and is not discriminated against in any way in terms of the legal processes or treatment in the prisons system, as well as addressing any specific welfare concerns that arise.

In all of our interactions with our Philippines counterparts, we have consistently raised this case and have sought an early appeal date for the individual concerned on humanitarian grounds.

Officials in my department raised this case most recently with the Ambassador of the Philippines, Enrique Manalo during the Ambassador’s visit to Dublin last month. Our Embassy in Singapore, which is accredited to the Philippines, avails of every appropriate opportunity to register our concerns about this case with the authorities in that country.

Our Embassy in Singapore has consistently encouraged the Irish citizen concerned to continue to engage in the legal process and to keep the Embassy advised of developments. The Embassy provided the citizen with a list of medical professionals, and he has been advised to seek medical attention if required. Our Embassy and our Honorary Consul in Manila stand ready to assist as required.

The Embassy in Singapore will continue to monitor the case closely and will continue to offer consular assistance.