The father of Laois man Joshua Molloy has expressed delight that his son has been released from custody in Iraq.
Mr Molloy, 24, had been detained for about ten days along with two British citizens for allegedly crossing into Iraq illegally.
It was reported that Mr Molloy, who is from Ballylinan, had been fighting with Kurdish forces opposing the so-called Islamic State group.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said that arrangements are being put in place which should see Mr Molloy reunited with his family in the coming days.
He said it had been a traumatic and difficult ordeal.
Minister Flanagan confirms Laois man Joshua Molloy has been released from custody in Iraq https://t.co/hCkSCMvWbDhttps://t.co/ui8ubpZQBP
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 24, 2016
Diplomats based in Iraq spent the last week trying to secure Mr Molloy's freedom along with Jac Holmes, a former IT worker from Bournemouth, and Joe Ackerman, a former British soldier from Halifax.
The three were held together in a prison in Erbil and all three have now been released.
Declan Molloy, Joshua's father, said Mr Flanagan broke the news to him in a phone call late last night.
"We are all delighted here. We are jumping with joy to know that he is out," Mr Molloy said.
"You know that Christmas morning feeling, it's a bit like that, when you find your most sought-after present under the tree, the dream present. That's how we feel."
Mr Molloy spoke to his son this morning via Facebook and reported that he was "fine" but felt that he would need some time alone after his ordeal.
He has repeatedly insisted that his son is not a mercenary or a freedom fighter, but that he had travelled to Syria last year for humanitarian reasons.
