Watch: Relatives welcome lifting of Tori Towey travel ban

As news of the lifting of a travel ban imposed by Dubai on 28-year-old Irish woman Tori Towey emerged this lunchtime, two of her aunts said they were overjoyed at the turn of events.

Ann Flynn and Trish Beirne both live near Frenchpark in Co. Roscommon.

Both spoke to Ms Towey’s mother, Caroline, minutes after the Taoiseach told the Dáil that the travel ban had been lifted.

“Fingers crossed”

Mrs Beirne said her sister and niece were still a little bit nervous, until they were sure that they could secure safe passage home but that “the signs are good and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that things keeping going the right way”.

She said was “great news that the two of them were coming home” and paid tribute to friends in the area who had offered support to the family in recent days.

“Until the chips are down you don’t realise how good people are,” she said.

She explained how the call with her sister in Dubai had to be cut short, as Simon Harris was calling her at the same time, to brief her on the developments.

“Life starts again”

Mrs Flynn said she was so excited to think that the pair would soon be in the air and on their way home, so that “life starts again”.

She detailed how fast the situation had changed, saying minutes before the exchanges in the Dáil “there was no light at the end of the tunnel”.

“It’s all our Christmases come together, we’re so excited and can’t wait to get the two home.

“They’re just waiting for the Embassy to come and collect them but they’re still very cautious and nervous.

“They said that until they’re on a flight, they can’t let their guard down, so hopefully all will go well and they will get on that flight and we will get to see them and we will have great celebrations”.

She echoed the gratitude expressed by her sister, saying both Government and opposition TDs had been “amazing” in the support they had given to their family.