102. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will raise directly with the President of Egypt the urgent and serious concerns of an Irish family (details supplied). [53994/26]

I understand the Deputy is referring to a specific case in which the Government, including through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassy of Ireland in Egypt, has provided extensive and sustained consular assistance over a period of several years.

This is a serious and sensitive case and has rightly been raised consistently at the highest political and diplomatic levels with the Egyptian authorities, including by successive Taoisigh, Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Cinn Comhairligh and Ambassadors of Ireland to Egypt.  I have raised the case and its difficult circumstances with the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt a number of times, most recently in April. It is in the interests of all concerned that it be brought to a positive conclusion at an early date.

Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continue to be in frequent contact with the citizen and to provide consular assistance. Given the understandable concerns of the person involved, the Department has worked with other state entities to offer supports to the citizen to travel to Egypt for the enforcement of the rulings of the Egyptian courts on custody and the return of the children to the citizen.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Government cannot interfere in legal or judicial processes in another jurisdiction and we would encourage the citizen to work closely with her local legal representative.