Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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338. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the latest torture allegations that a person (details supplied) has made including details of gruesome treatment being meted out to prisoners; his views that the person's situation has clearly deteriorated; if he will respond to these reports as a matter of urgency; and immediately raise the person's treatment with their Egyptian counterpart. [15402/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that this case remains a top priority for the Government and for my Department. We 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.

I am aware of media references to a letter written by this citizen concerning allegations about the Egyptian prison system. Officials in my Department meet regularly with this citizen’s family and Irish-based lawyers and the fourth such meeting in the past eight weeks took place on 9 June. The media reports of these allegations was one of the matters discussed at that meeting.

As would be the case for any Irish citizen imprisoned abroad, any concern related to ill-treatment would be treated with the utmost seriousness and would be raised urgently with the Egyptian authorities. This point has been consistently reconfirmed to this citizen and his family.

Significant resources continue to be deployed by my Department, both in Cairo and in Dublin, in the provision of comprehensive consular assistance to the citizen at the heart of this case. The Department has arranged exceptionally regular and frequent consular visits to this individual in prison since his arrest, the most recent undertaken by Ambassador Damien Cole on Sunday 29 May. Consular visitation is an important practical tool in monitoring our citizen’s welfare and ensuring that the Embassy in Cairo is well placed to raise any concerns arising directly with the prison authorities.

The Egyptian Government is fully aware of the priority the Irish Government attaches to this case, and there continues to be sustained engagement at all levels with the Egyptian authorities. The key focus of our engagement is to achieve the release of this citizen by the Egyptian authorities at the earliest opportunity and to provide consular support for his welfare while he remains in detention.

The Taoiseach has twice met with President el-Sisi, making clear the Irish Government’s concerns and objectives in this case. Since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2014, I have remained in regular contact with my Egyptian counterpart, Minister Shoukry, on the 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, who have had citizens detained in similar circumstances, 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.

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.