An Irish air hostess who was facing criminal charges in Dubai has broken her silence after touching down in Dublin on Thursday.
Tori Towey, 28, was detained by authorities in the United Arab Emirates and accused of "attempted suicide" and alcohol consumption following an alleged assault.
Ms Towey told of her relief at being permitted to leave the country after the charges were dropped.
The flight attendant from Boyle, Co Roscommon, had pleaded for assistance from the Irish Government after being taken to a police station and having her passport blocked.
Following diplomatic intervention from Ireland, Dubai authorities lifted the travel ban imposed on Ms Towey, allowing her to fly home.
Ms Towey told of her relief upon her arrival at Dublin Airport on Friday, accompanied by her mother Caroline.
"I'm just so thankful and so grateful to be back," she said.
She thanked those who facilitated her return, including the Irish embassy and media outlets. Addressing journalists, she said: "Without you guys, I wouldn't be here right now."
The young woman praised her homeland, describing Ireland as "an amazing country".
"I feel bad for people who don't have the support that we have. We are such a tight country and we have each other's backs,” she said.
Visibly moved, Ms Towey added: "I'm so emotional."
She described the past few weeks as "tiring mentally," recalling her predicament in Dubai where she was uncertain of "what was going to happen."
"I'm back now, and I'm excited to be home and see my family," Ms Towey said.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, a campaign group that worked on Ms Towey’s case, said: “She is thrilled and relieved. She said she is over the moon and looking forward to getting home to Ireland and seeing the rest of her family.
“She is a little nervous too because there is that worry that something could happen before she gets on a plane but the overriding feeling is one of joy.”
Ms Towey had been facing potential jail time in Dubai after being charged with attempted suicide and alcohol consumption following an alleged attack. She reportedly suffered severe bruising and other injuries.
Instead of assisting her return to Ireland, Dubai authorities had imposed a travel ban on Ms Towey ahead of a scheduled court appearance next week.
She had been forced to stay in a rented apartment in Dubai with mum Caroline, who flew out to support her daughter.
With Tori due before court on the criminal charges next week, her worried family had urged the Irish Government to intervene and help get her home to Ireland.
And in a major development on Wednesday, Taoiseach Simon Harris revealed that Dubai’s travel ban on Ms Towey had been lifted.
Delivering an update in “real time” in the Dail, Mr Harris said: “I’ve just been informed that the travel ban has been lifted, that the embassy will take Tori to the airport as soon as she is ready to go.”
Mr Harris thanked the Irish embassy in the UAE for its work on the case, describing Tori’s ordeal as “unimaginable”.
Ms Towey had been staying in a rented apartment in Dubai with her mother Caroline, who had flown out to support her daughter.
With a court date looming for the criminal charges, the Towey family had appealed to the Irish Government to intervene and secure Ms Towey's return to Ireland.
