Richard Boyd Barrett: Demand for Observers at German Show Trial

Minister, today the world is expressing rightly disgust at the treatment of Irish and other activists trying to bring aid to the besieged people of Gaza at the hands of the Israeli regime but in Germany a European country is treating another Irish citizen and other pro-Palestine activists in an equally outrageous way where there's a show trial going on and the basic rights of an Irish citizen are going to be absolutely flouted as they are prosecuted as criminals and terrorists for protesting against Germany's complicity with Israel's genocide in Gaza. Will the government send observers to the trial to protect the rights of an Irish citizen? Daniel Tatlow-Davaly. Thank you Deputy, so I'm obviously aware of the cases that you've mentioned in particular and it's important to stress that my department and in particular my team have been providing consular assistance to Daniel since September of 2025. We have a dedicated consular office in the Consulate General in Munich which has been assigned to provide the consular assistance to support Daniel but also to support his family because I appreciate that this is a difficult time for his family, staff and the consulate including the Consulate General but also the Deputy Consulate General have undertaken four consular visits, the most recent on the 10th of April and there is another visit that's being carried out in the next month and I think it is important maybe just to stress in the very clear readout that I've gotten in this Daniel did not raise any complaints about his treatment, he reported that he's been treated relatively well both physically and mentally and that he's able to avail of the facilities and the activities in the prison. In terms of his visiting conditions they've been relaxed, he's able to have video calls and in-person visits with family members and I'm of the understanding that there are other visits that may be possible as well but it's also important to stress that the conditions that he's in, the prison that he's in, he is the same as any other person in that prison, this is a if you could use the word normal, a regular pre-trial detention facility that he is in and again the reports that I have directly from our ambassador who's dealing directly with him and engaging with him and will have a further visit later this month is that he is being treated well and that he does have access to the facilities that he needs, again this is the same as any other person in that situation but I want to assure the Deputy because I do appreciate that this is very difficult for Daniel and his family that my department will continue to provide all appropriate consular assistance, we have to do this in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular Regulation or Relations from 1963, this specifies the functions of our consular officials, it's obviously subject to limits permitted by international law so we can't interfere in the domestic affairs of the receiving state while consular officials have a role in assisting citizens including helping them to find lawyers, visiting them in detention, consular officials cannot give legal advice or intervene in the judicial process or internal affairs in the receiving state, what I will say is throughout the trial when the trial happens we will of course continue to engage directly with Daniel, with his family and making sure that that assistance continues throughout the trial, not just now. I actually can't believe my ears, his family are appealing for the government to send observers because they describe a show trial situation, they are being prosecuted under anti-organized crime legislation, they're being tried in a high security court, not a normal court, they're being denied access during the trial to their own legal team, they're brought in in handcuffs behind high security glass, they've been kept in more or less solitary confinement since last September in Daniel's case, 18 months completely unprecedented, his legal team have called for the judge to be recused such as the level of bias that has been directed against the own five who were on trial, who just to remind you were protesting, it was an act of civil disobedience but there was no threat of violence, they videoed themselves, they hand themselves peacefully up for arrest because they were protesting about Elbit Systems Germany providing arms to Israel for the commission of genocide and their family are saying the trial is a show trial and that they should be released and that the Irish government should send observers to watch the trial to ensure that their rights are being upheld in terms of the manner this trial is being conducted. So are you going to do that Minister? Firstly Deputy, it is absolutely essential that any Irish citizen that finds himself in this situation that they are provided immediately with consular assistance and that has been the case and I've said very clearly our consular team on the ground can't provide legal assistance, that's not the position they have, however it is our role, it is our role, absolutely it is our role and duty to make sure that they are treated in the appropriate way. Daniel is in a pre-trial facility, he has been treated the same as others as I appreciate how difficult this is, the most important thing is that the facts of the trial are borne out and you've outlined some of what has happened here and it is for the trial and it is for the judge and it is for the prosecutor, it is for the system itself to make sure that all of these facts are borne out. So while you might not agree with the particular legislation that Daniel has been charged with, it is for the trial to ensure that that information and the facts of what happened is borne out and for decisions to be taken in that regard. We will ensure that there is fair oversight of this trial, I can assure you of that. I will be meeting with my German colleague this week and I will reiterate that point when I meet with him, but we will ensure that we continue to have direct engagement and provide councillor support to Daniel and we will make sure that the trial, when it starts, and I do hope that it happens soon, I agree, I don't think that this should be drawn out any further, that there is that direct oversight and that we have full sight of what is happening in that trial. This is the duplicity of this government, they say they're appalled at the treatment of flotilla activists at the hands of the Israeli regime, then those same flotilla activists, before they were detained, kidnapped, said vote for the sanctions bill, vote for sanctions against Israel. The government condemns it, says there shouldn't be business as usual that comes in here and votes against sanctions and we're getting the same duplicity here. Will you send observers to the trial, which is what the family are asking, because it's a show trial. It's absolutely outrageous. Why are they even in custody? They're not a threat to anybody. To keep somebody in solitary confinement before the trial, to be tried as people in a high security courthouse, where they're behind a glass cage, brought in in handcuffs and where the judge is referring to them as if they're terrorists, when actually what they are is peace activists opposing German complicity with the genocide in Israel via Elbit systems who provide Israel with weapons. Are you going to send observers? I'm going to try and get an all-party group to go across to the trial. We'll see now, will all the parties, I know the opposition will, will the government send, because even German MPs are being refused access to the courtroom by the judge. That's how much of a show trial it is. I can't be any clearer in what I'm saying here. It is our role and responsibility to make sure that citizens where they have been arrested, where they're detained, that they have access to consular assistance. And I'm saying to you very clearly, that is happening and has been happening. That engagement has been directly with Daniel in making sure that he is in good health and that making sure he has been treated well. And that is exactly what he has conveyed and relayed. He is in a pre-trial detention facility and I fully agree with you. I believe that this should not go on indefinitely. However, as you well know, and every person in this house, it is not for me to determine when a trial takes place in another country. What I've said to you is that I will raise this directly with my German colleague when I meet with him on Friday, but I cannot, nor can any deputy here, intervene in a trial when it is set how the outcome is presided over. But what I can be clear on is that we will make sure that how this trial is carried out, that we do have sight of what is happening here and that we are in direct communication with Daniel and ensuring for his welfare at every stage.