Government Adamant It Can't Help Free Halawa Right Now
The Government is again insisting it cannot interfere with the trial process of Ibrahim Halawa in Egypt.
The 20-year-old Dubliner has been in jail in Cairo for almost three years after being arrested at a political protest while on a family holiday.
Yesterday his trial was adjourned for the 14th time. Opposition parties say the Government needs to put more pressure on Egypt to release him.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Charlie Flanagan, said he is doing all he can for the 20-year-old.
"The reality is that the Irish government cannot directly interfere with a criminal trial in another jurisdiction. What we can do is to provide all consular care possible to Ibrahim while he is in prison and to work towards his release at the earliest opportunity".
He added that Department officials will meet to see what their next course of action is:
"We will be reviewing the latest developments and, indeed, options for future actions in this regard. I and my officials, including our Ambassador Damien Cole in Cairo, will continue to engage intensively with the Egyptian authorities.
However, Sinn Fein Senator Fintan Warfield, who represents the Firhouse area, said Egyptian authorities can't be trusted:
"This Government have been misled twice by Egyptian authorities, once when they lied about Ibrahim's whereabouts and what prison he was in and just yesterday when we were led to believe that Ibrahim's trial would conclude only to be postponed for a 14th time."
Earlier, the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he didn't feel the state was doing enough to help free Ibrahim, and suggested Ireland stop trading with Egypt.
The Minister said that helping Ibrahim is a top priority for him, but that he has to legally wait before he can request Ibrahim's release.