The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs says he is increasingly concerned about the four Halawa siblings from Dublin who have been detained in Cairo since August.

Eamon Gilmore says he intends raising the issue at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg this lunchtime.

Speaking on his way in to the meeting the Tánaiste said he has concerns about the use of violence by the Egyptian military.

In particular he said it is not appropriate to hold people in custody and continually extend their period of detention without bringing any charges;