Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has been invited to Ireland by the Government.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has told the Dáil that he expects the visit to happen next month.
He told Independent TD Cathal Berry that he expects she would meet both leaders from the Government and Opposition, and possibly address the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Minister Coveney said she has a lot of say and should be heard.
He said that levels of repression have increased in Belarus in recent months.
He described the recent forcing down of a Ryanair jet in Minsk as a kidnapping - and said the action had galvanised the EU to take sustained action against the Belarus regime.
