Simon Coveney plays down reports that Lisa Smith due home in coming days

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has played down reports that Lisa Smith is due to arrive back into Dublin with her two-year-old daughter in the coming days.

The 38-year-old Dundalk woman travelled to Syria in 2016 to join the so-called Islamic State group.

Simon Coveney said the Government here remains in contact with Turkish authorities about Lisa Smith’s return to Ireland, but added: “I’ve made it very clear in relation to Lisa Smith that this is a consular case; we don’t talk publicly about that.

“There has been a lot of media speculation – some of it inaccurate. We’ve been working on this case for some time and we remain in contact with the Turkish authorities who have been very helpful in relation to this case. We’ll have to wait and see how it develops.”

It had been suggested the Dundalk woman was due to be deported from Turkey as early as this weekend, along with her two-year-old daughter, with media reports that officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and members of the Army Ranger Wing flew to Turkey yesterday to accompany Ms Smith.