Ibrahim Halawa’s legal team is optimistic about a fresh application to the Egyptian president for his release.

The Dublin man has spent three years in prison awaiting trial for allegedly taking part in an illegal protest in Cairo.

Our Government has been criticised by the Egyptian parliament for what it described as its “unacceptable interference” in the case.

A previous application for his release was rejected but Ibrahim’s solicitor Darragh Mackin is more hopeful this time around: “Well things have markably changed, we have come on quite some way from that February.

“There has been resolutions passed in the EU parliament, the case has been raised to the highest level in the UN and the Irish Government are now fully behind and endorsing the application, which we say significantly increases our chances of success of any application.”