Government to open talks with Egypt on abduction of Irish child

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has contacted the Egyptian government to discuss a possible solution in the case of an Irish child abducted and brought to the country four years ago.

Faris Heeney (6) was taken to Egypt in 2009 by his uncle Moustafa Ismaeil who had dressed him up as a girl, using the passport of a female relative.

His mother Norma Heeney and family have begun to lobby the Irish Government to attempt to influence the situation.

However, any chance of a reunion in Ireland is seriously hampered by Egypt's decision not to sign up to the Hague Convention, setting out legal protocol for countries dealing with abductions.

Members of the Heeney family, including Norma, yesterday met Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald, who confirmed that Mr Shatter had made contact with the Egyptian authorities to open talks on a potential bilateral agreement between the two countries.

While it is a development welcomed by the family, Ms Fitzgerald conceded the process was likely to be affected by the ongoing political turbulence in Egypt.

“The family have been through a huge amount of trauma trying to ensure that their child comes back to Ireland,” she said. “Mr Shatter has written to the Egyptian justice minister to see if it is possible to pursue a bilateral but clearly these international abductions are extremely difficult to resolve where there isn’t goodwill.

“The essence of the problem here is that Egypt hasn’t signed the Hague Convention on international abductions and that is why you need a bilateral, and that is now being pursued.”

Regarding the overtures by the Government toward the Egyptian administration, Ms Heeney said: “I have a lot of hope.”