Dubai Travel Ban For Tori Towey Has Been Lifted - Taoiseach Confirms

Following on from the news mentioned earlier, Taoiseach Simon Harris has confirmed that the travel ban on Tori Towey who is facing criminal charges in Dubai, has been lifted.

Mr Harris announced this news in the Dáil, saying that the embassy will take Ms Towey to the airport as soon as she is ready to go. 

Reading out an update  "which I've just received in real time", Mr Harris said: "I've just been informed that the travel ban has been lifted, that the embassy will take Tori to the airport as soon as she is ready to go, and that the embassy, of course, will continue to follow up on the case, which is still active as of now". 

Earlier, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald had said that Tori Towey who had been living in Dubai for the past year, was facing charges  "of attempted suicide and the abuse of alcohol", adding that she "is now under the most incredible stress". 

Ms McDonald had said that as a "matter of urgency", the Government must "absolutely plain to the authorities of Dubai that no woman should be treated in this way, and an Irish citizen, an Irish woman, will not be treated in this way".

In response, Simon Harris said this:  "Thank you, Deputy McDonald, for bringing the case of Tori to my attention," he said. "I'm not directly appraised of the situation, but I'm very happy to be directly appraised of it now". 

Mr Harris added that he would work with the deputy to "to intervene and see how we can support an Irish citizen in what sounds to be - based on what you tell me - the most appalling circumstances".