The trial of 21-year-old Dubliner Ibrahim Halawa has been adjourned in Egypt for the 22nd time.

Mr Halawa, from Firhouse, has been held in an Egyptian jail since his arrest during demonstrations against the ousting of president Mohammed Morsi in August 2013.

Ibrahim - who is facing trail alongside hundreds of other defendants - has now spent almost 1,350 days in prison.

The next court date has been set for May 9th.

Responding to the latest adjournment, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan says the case and Ibrahim's health and welfare remain matters of the utmost concern.

Minister Flanagan expects the trial will now move towards a conclusion but says it is important there are no further delays.

In a statement, he said: "Seven more witnesses were called and cross-examined during today’s proceedings.

"The relatively short adjournment period and the progress in recent hearings in terms of witness testimony are indications of momentum in the trial process, which is to be welcomed after a very difficult and frustrating period of over three years."

Officials from the Irish embassy in Cairo are due to meet Ibrahim in the coming days.

His family say they have fears for his mental and physical health.

Amnesty International has declared Ibrahim as a 'prisoner of conscience', and the human rights charity's Irish head Colm O'Gorman has again reiterated a call for all charges against Ibrahim to be dropped.

He said: "For the 22nd time in 44 months, Ibrahim Halawa’s trial has been postponed. Amnesty has conducted a thorough, independent review of the prosecution evidence and concluded that he was arrested solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of assembly and expression.

"Amnesty International continues to be gravely concerned for Ibrahim’s physical and mental health [...] We also urge the Irish Government to continue working on his behalf and to use every means at their disposal to secure his release."