Mr Pether, who is an Australian citizen, has been in prison in Iraq since April 2021, after he was arrested on fraud charges following a contractual dispute involving his employer that arose out of the building of a new Central Bank building in Baghdad in Iraq.

The Australian national remains there for the moment as he is under a travel ban and cannot return home, it is understood.

Tánaiste Simon Harris said that he had embarked on his "first step" in returning to Ireland

Robert Pether, an Australian national who had been living in Elphin with his family, was arrested in Baghdad in April 2021 and later jailed on fraud charges

Robert Pether was due to be released after four years but now faces further charges