The Minister for Foreign Affairs has said he may ask the Taoiseach to directly intervene in the case of Ibrahim Halawa.

Charlie Flanagan today said it was possible he may call on Enda Kenny for intervention, but said he will only get the Taoiseach involved if it is necessary and helpful to securing the Irishman's release.

“I’m keeping the Taoiseach fully briefed and it may be at a certain stage that it would be beneficial to the citizen that the Taoiseach can become involved,” Mr Flanagan said.

“I haven’t ruled that out as a possibility, but the hearing dates, the return date and the date on which evidence is tendered, is entirely and solely and exclusively a matter for the courts,” he added.

The Dubliner is set to appear in court again this Sunday after over 20 months of detention in prison in Cairo.

Minister Flanagan today told the Dáil that Ireland can only play a limited role in making sure justice is done.

The foreign affairs minister also said he is happy with the conditions in which Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa is being kept in Egypt while he awaits trial.

Charlie Flanagan says the Dubliner is no longer sharing accommodation with convicted criminals and now has his own cell.

Minister Flanagan's told the Dáil that Ibrahim is being held in better conditions than some people believe

“There was a suggestion in the form of a report that he was missing. That didn’t transpire to be the case,” Mr Flanagan said.

“While the individual remains in detention a key objective for me is that we can do what we can to protect his welfare, his wellbeing and to ensure that the prison conditions for him is as good as, under the circumstances, can be,” he added.