The Minister for Foreign Affairs has discussed the Ibrahim Halawa case with his Egyptian counterpart.

Charlie Flanagan today spoke with Minister Sameh Shoukry in New York and discussed the case of Dubliner Halawa “in some detail” Mr Flanagan said.

The 19-year-old Halawa has been in custody in Cairo for close to two years, and on Sunday his trial was postponed. It is now scheduled to be heard on June 6.

Amnesty International have said that most of the witnesses due to be called in the trial are police officers or government officials.

Charlie Flangan told the Egyptian Minister he was disappointed " that a decision on Ibrahim Halawa’s application for bail, an application supported by the Irish government, had been refused along with other bail applications in the case.”

"I underlined once again to Minister Shoukry the Government’s strong desire to see this young Irish citizen released by the Egyptian authorities as soon as possible so that he can return to his family and his studies in Dublin,” Mr Flanagan said.

"On the conditions of his ongoing detention, he undertook to pursue the Irish Government's concerns regarding Ibrahim Halawa's welfare with the appropriate Egyptian authorities.

The Halawa family have repeatedly expressed their concern about the ongoing detention and bail refusal, and have requested that the Taoiseach should intervene directly in the matter.