The mother of Irish kidnap victim Sharon Commins has told of her prayers that her “darling daughter” would be freed safe and well.

Agatha Commins said she and her family were taking strength from the work being done by the Irish government and aid agency GOAL to free her “poor little darling” and that she was putting all her hopes and prayers behind the intensive efforts in Dafur to free Sharon.

Mrs Commins, speaking at her home in Clontarf, said: “We’re just hoping and praying that she will be safe.

“We’ve heard absolutely nothing about her situation but we’ve been told the Irish government jet flew out there and the best people in the country were on it.

“We’re trusting the Irish government and GOAL. We’re all absolutely worn out. We’re trying hard to keep our stamina up because we need to keep strong for Sharon.

“We keep praying for her and all the Masses have been for Sharon.

“If only the poor little darling knew how much was being done. I’m keeping a diary about everything which she can read when she gets home,” said the worried mother.

“Sharon is such a kind girl and so generous. She’d never look for praise for anything. Her strength is that she is very, very intelligent and she would have researched everything before going there.

“She was up to speed on everything that was going on. Her intelligence and her knowledge will help her,” she said.

An Irish government jet flew from Dublin to the Sudan with a number of ‘security experts’ and diplomatic staff with experience in hostage negotiation situations.

GOAL founder John O'Shea said he was not at liberty to discuss what experts were on the government flight to the violence-torn region.

He said an important meeting was due to take place today in a regional capital in Darfur, attended by Irish and Ugandan officials and by police and security chiefs who would be best placed to establish the identity of the armed group who kidnapped the 32-year-old Dublin aid worker and her Ugandan colleague on Friday night.

Ms Commins and fellow aid worker Hilda Kawuki (40) were kidnapped on Friday when a gang of eight heavily armed men forced their way into their compound in Darfur.