The Dáil is expected to pass a motion next week calling for the release of Ibrahim Halawa and for a delegation to be sent to Egypt to meet the imprisoned Irish student.

Mr Halawa (20) has been in prison since August 2013, when he was arrested in Cairo during protests against the ousting of then-president Mohamed Morsi. He and 493 others have been put on mass trial, but proceedings have been postponed 14 times.

A cross-party meeting took place last night on the issue, instigated by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Also present were Labour leader Brendan Howlin, Aengus O’Snodaigh from Sinn Féin and Sean Haughey of Fianna Fáil.

While no Fine Gael representative was at the meeting, sources said Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and Regina Doherty, the Government Chief Whip, were aware of the motion.

It is expected that the motion will be put to the Dáil next week and TDs will also be asked to agree to send a delegation to visit Mr Halawa.

Delays

In the Dáil earlier yesterday, Mr Ryan appealed for such a motion. Mr Ryan’s motion calls for the Government to urgently seek Mr Halawa’s release under Rule 140 (presidential decree by the Egyptian president). It calls for the foreign affairs committee to call the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland, Soha Gendi, to appear before it to explain the unacceptable delays.

It states that a parliamentary delegation should visit the Egyptian parliament.

Mr Ryan said it was time for the Government to be brave and to take “radical, strong action internationally”. He said it was important the message be sent that “every citizen of this country, no matter his or her creed, is treated in the same way and that we stand up for the rights of our people when they are caught in circumstances in which their rights are clearly being abused”.

He added that Mr Flanagan needed to raise the issue “at a much higher level than it has been raised to date”.

Minister for Education Richard Bruton said the Government had been extremely active on the issue and considerable effort was being made.

Mr Howlin said he hoped “we can have a collective initiative on this in the next week or so because what we have been doing to date is not working”.