Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said yesterday that Irish officials were working to help secure the release of a Donegal teenager jailed in Senegal following a prank outside a local governor's house.
Patrick Devine (19) from Dunfanaghy was arrested after admitting to police that he dropped his trousers and "mooned" outside the home of one of the country's governors in Saint Louis.
The engineering student, who has spent almost three weeks in prison in Senegal, was due to return home to Ireland.
He was working in Africa as a volunteer with a group which supports street children.
Mr Ahern said: "It is a very unfortunate case. There is a judicial process in train now. Staff in the department are doing their level best and we are also liaising with EU member states and other countries who have embassies in Senegal."
He added: "I spoke to the young man's mother after the incident happened and assured her that the department and its officials abroad were doing everything possible to resolve the situation.
"It is one of many cases the department has to deal with on a daily basis around the world now."
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/d44f2db9-df8f-4862-a014-cc272b77d22c.png)