34. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department has engaged with the German Government in regard to persons (details supplied). [69079/26]

35. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on her monitoring of the trial of a person (details supplied). [69362/26]

58. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she is concerned about practices at the trial of an Irish Citizen in Germany (details supplied). [69379/26]

64. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will report on the engagement she has had with an Irish citizen on trial in Germany (details supplied) who is part of the "Ulm 5". [69377/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 35, 58 and 64 together.

I am following developments in this consular case very closely and will continue to do so. I would like to acknowledge that this is a difficult time for the citizen and the family.

I can assure you that my Department places a high priority on the welfare of our citizens in detention overseas. That has been a long-standing commitment and our approach to this case is no different.

I can confirm that I raised the case of the Irish citizen concerned with State Secretary Thomas Steffen of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy when I met with him on 22 May. The Taoiseach and Chancellor Merz addressed this case in their joint press conference in July.

My Department, in particular our Consulate General in Munich, supported by our Embassy in Berlin and the Consular Directorate here in Dublin, has been providing consular assistance to the citizen since September 2025, when we were first notified of the case. My officials have engaged with great seriousness and care for the well-being of the citizen. A dedicated consular officer in the Consulate General in Munich has been assigned to provide consular assistance and support to the citizen and their family. We have paid very close attention to their welfare, most importantly through seven prison visits to the citizen by staff, including the Consul General, from the Consulate General in Munich. The most recent visit by the Consul General to the citizen in detention took place on 1 September and a further visit is scheduled for next week.

These visits are an important opportunity to assess the conditions of detention and to check on the welfare of the citizen. They provide an opportunity for the citizen to raise any concerns about their treatment with us. In turn, the Consulate General has kept the citizen’s family informed about these visits and remains in direct contact with the family.

I am aware that a delegation of members of the Oireachtas and European Parliament travelled to Germany in July to observe one of the hearings in their case, and that some members of the delegation also visited the citizen in detention. My officials facilitated and offered advice to members of the delegation in undertaking the visit.

Germany, as a member state of the European Union, shares our foundational commitment to the rule of law. We all recognise that laws and practices across the world can differ greatly. Naturally, there are aspects of the legal process in Germany that may operate differently from a legal process in Ireland.

At the most fundamental level, when we provide consular assistance to citizens in detention overseas we seek to assure ourselves that Irish citizens are being treated no differently by the justice system than any other person in their situation, including nationals of the country concerned. My Department is satisfied that the citizen in this case is being treated equally before the law compared with any German citizen in their situation.

The citizen’s German legal team is best placed to provide legal advice and to act on their behalf in relation to the proceedings. At the same time, this does not prevent my Department from closely monitoring developments and maintaining regular contact with the citizen. My officials will continue to be available to the citizen to discuss any matters relating to their welfare, conditions of detention and consular assistance needs, and we will continue our focus on providing compassionate, appropriate consular assistance.

I am aware that there will be a regular schedule of trial hearings in the coming weeks. My officials will continue to follow developments closely, and I have asked that they continue to keep me updated.