SF calls for government plan to bring Ibrahim Halawa home

There are calls for the Government to outline a plan to bring Ibrahim Halawa home.

Today marks the Dubliner's 31st trial date in Egypt.

Earlier this week, lawyers for the 21-year-old had their first chance to present a defence, but the judge will only reach a verdict after he has heard the cases of almost 500 co-defendants.

Ibrahim Halawa has been in jail since being arrested, as a teenager, at a demonstration in Cairo almost four years ago.

Sinn Féin has said the Government's refusal to intervene serves to legitimise a "farcical" trial process, and called for a plan to bring him back to Ireland.

Sinn Féin's MEP Lynn Boylan said: "We need to hear from the Taoiseach what the strategy is for bringing Ibrahim is. All we're hearing is we're going to wait until the trial is over, but we haven’t seen what the strategy is.

"Have they sought in writing an assurance from President (Abdel Fattah el-) Sisi that he will keep that promise to release Ibrahim?"