Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to immediately intervene in the case a person (details supplied) who has now been imprisoned for over 1,000 days in Egypt with no conviction, no fair trial, no adequate access to a lawyer and who has been moved without the family's knowledge. [10753/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that I fully share her concerns about this case. The Government and my Department are continuing to pursue every constructive avenue to secure the release of this citizen and we will continue to bring all of our influence to bear on his behalf through all appropriate channels.

All of the sustained and focused actions that have been taken by the Taoiseach, myself and other Ministers, and by my Department and our Embassy in Cairo, are in pursuit of the Government’s clear strategy in this case, which is focused on two key objectives. First, to see this citizen released by the Egyptian authorities so that he can return to his family and his studies in Ireland as soon as possible, and, second, to provide every possible consular support for his welfare while he remains in detention.

The Egyptian Government is fully aware of the priority the Irish Government attaches to the welfare and interests of our citizen. There has been sustained engagement at all levels with the Egyptian authorities. I have been in regular contact with my Egyptian counterpart, Minister Shoukry, and the Taoiseach has twice met with President el-Sisi, making clear the Irish Government’s concerns and objectives in this case.

In addition to this dialogue with the Egyptian authorities, the Government has also been engaging on an ongoing basis with European and international partners and with the European Union.

Irish Government representatives have worked with this citizen’s legal team in Egypt and supported petitions to the court when asked to do so, including providing formal Government support for an application under Decree 140 and an application for release on bail. Representatives of the Embassy have attended each of the court hearings to date and will be present at the next scheduled hearing on 29 June. Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin also remain in regular contact with his family and Irish-based lawyers.

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 detained citizen and his family. The Department has arranged numerous consular visits to this individual in prison since his arrest, the most recent undertaken by Ambassador Damien Cole on 17 April.

Another visit will be arranged in the coming weeks. Such visits provide significant practical benefit for the citizen. These visits also allow regular contact with the prison authorities who are aware of the Irish Government’s strong and sustained interest in this Irish citizen’s welfare.

Given that the trial is ongoing, the Government must remain measured and responsible in its public comment. This is entirely consistent with our approach in other consular cases, with our clear objectives in this case and with what we firmly believe to offer the best prospect for a positive outcome for this young man.