Rory Carroll, the Irish journalist released by his Iraqi abductors in Baghdad yesterday evening is due to return to his home in Blackrock in Dublin over the weekend.
The 33-year-old Guardian correspondent said he had been preparing himself for months in captivity after he was seized by militants on Wednesday.
He was speaking to RTÉ News about his ordeal and his release.
Iraq's Foreign Minister has said those responsible for the abduction of Mr Carroll were part of a local militia in the Baghdad district of Sadr City.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Hoshiyar al Zabari said it is not known if the motivation was political or financial.
Mr Zabari said abductions of high profile journalists and foreign diplomats was damaging to the political process in Iraq.
The Dubliner, who is the Baghdad Correspondent of the Guardian newspaper, was freed last night after 36 hours of captivity.
He earlier told his editor that he had been treated reasonably well despite being held handcuffed in an unlit basement cell in a residential house.
He had been abducted after he left a house in the Sadr city area of Baghdad, where he had been viewing the Saddam Hussein trial with an Iraqi family.
His father, Joe, told RTÉ News last night that the family are in disbelief yet overjoyed that Rory is now free.
'Last night we were in the depths of despondency - we just can't believe that 24 hours later he is safe and well,' Joe Carroll said.
He also thanked everyone for their support, saying prayers had been pouring in from all over the island.
The release followed intense diplomatic efforts involving the Irish, British and interim Iraqi governments.
A high level delegation of Irish diplomats had been preparing to travel to Iraq today in a further effort to secure his freedom.
