Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

172. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he will have an opportunity to discuss the release of a person (details supplied) with the Egyptian authorities with a view to the person's early release having particular regard to the repeated adjournments of their case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3514/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This consular case continues to be a top priority for the Government and substantial resources and time are being devoted to it, by the Taoiseach, by me as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, by officials in my Department, by our Ambassador and his team in Cairo, and by the entire Irish diplomatic network. The Government is doing everything it possibly can to ensure that the Egyptian authorities are in no doubt about our determination to see this young man returned to his home and his family.

The Taoiseach has spoken directly and personally with Egyptian President el-Sisi on numerous occasions now calling on him to exercise his powers under Egyptian law to resolve this case and return this young man to Ireland. He has done so in face-to-face meetings on two occasions and also by telephone and by letter. The Taoiseach most recently wrote to President el-Sisi about the case in November. For my part, I have engaged continuously on this case with my Egyptian counterpart, Foreign Minister Shoukry, and I once again raised this case with him when I met him in Paris at the Middle East Peace Conference on Sunday, January 15th.

The trial in which our citizen is a defendant along with more than 400 others was back in court for a further hearing on 17 January. The hearing saw witnesses called and cross-examined for the first time since the trial began. This may be an indication that the trial has now, at last, moved into a substantive phase and that a conclusion may finally be in prospect. The Irish Government has been present at and has observed every hearing in the trial to date and our Embassy was again represented at the hearing on 17 January. The next hearing will be on 14 February and the Embassy will once again be present on that occasion to observe the proceedings.

The Egyptian President has consistently advised us that the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary must be respected, and that the Egyptian Government cannot intervene while the case remains before the courts. The President has also consistently made clear to us that he is anxious to resolve this issue as soon as he can, and that he will be able to intervene in the case once the trial has ended.

I and my colleagues in Government and our officials at every level will continue to do everything possible and appropriate to engage with the authorities in Cairo on this citizen’s behalf both directly and through and with EU and international partners.