Mr Hickey’s family have said they are “gravely concerned” as he continues to be held in a Brazilian prison.
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Mr Hickey has temporarily stood aside as president of the Olympic Council of Ireland during the investigation and is now being held in a maximum security prison following his arrest on 18 August in Rio de Janiero.
PRO10 and THG have denied wrongdoing. He has yet to be charged.
In a statement issued by the Hickeys’ family solicitor, Anne Marie James, the family described as “extremely worrying” the issues surrounding his arrest and detention.
“In the meantime, my department is continuing to monitor developments in this consular case closely and is continuing to provide all appropriate consular advice and assistance to Mr. Hickey and his family”.
OCI president Patrick Hickey (71) was arrested last week in a dawn raid at his hotel and transferred to a hospital with chest pains.
Flanagan has responded by saying he will meet with the family in the coming days, but that his department “cannot provide legal advice or interfere in any way in the judicial processes in another country”.
Any request by Mr Hickey’s lawyers for him to be transferred to house arrest can only take place after a fresh bail application is lodged and goes through the system from the beginning. The strongest evidence police have found are e-mails exchanged between Hickey and the head of a company that was not an authorized vendor discussing opening and closing ceremony tickets to resell.
“He has a serious heart condition and they are extremely anxious that he would be immediately released on bail and given the opportunity to respond to the accusations”, the statement reads.
The family is said to be concerned over a number of issues – such as the manner of his arrest, his detention without charge, and the effects of the arrest on his health.
Pat Hickey’s right to a fair hearing, given the prejudicial way in which he has been treated during his detention.
Minister Flanagan made the following statement on Friday evening, having read the list of concerns issued by Hickey’s family through a solicitor earlier in the day.
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The statement added: “It was entirely inappropriate and unacceptable for a 71-year-old Irish citizen to be taken from his bedroom, arrested and walked in a state of undress before a pre-arranged camera crew, after which film and still shots were released to the global media”. They urged the ministers to contact Alfonso José Cardoso, the Brazilian ambassador to Ireland, to make him aware of their concerns.
