Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi about Ibrahim Halawa by telephone this afternoon.

The 21 year old from Firhouse in Dublin has been in jail in Cairo for over four years, and is said to be in a fragile condition.

Health Minister Simon Harris says the Government is extraordinarily frustrated after the verdict was postponed again this morning.

Confirmed from Cairo - No verdict today on Ibrahim Halawa case. Judges have adjourned until 18 September - v frustrating but we keep working

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) August 28, 2017

Human rights experts say the Taoiseach could request that Mr Halawa come home ahead of the verdict, which could come in three weeks.

But Minister Harris appeared to rule that out when he was asked was the Government prepared to wait for the verdict, rather than campaigning for his release;

Mr. Harris was asked should the Taoiseach try harder to get Mr Halawa home before a verdit;