The President, Mrs McAleese, is not going to intervene in efforts to secure the release of Mr Ken Bigley, despite an appeal by his brother for her to do so.
A spokeswoman for the President said Mrs McAleese had sent a message of support to Mr Bigley's family in Liverpool.
However, she said it would be more appropriate for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to intervene in the case.
"That is more something which the Government would get involved in, which it seems to be doing through Minister Dermot Ahern," the spokeswoman said.
She added that the President had not received any correspondence from the Bigley family.
A personal message of support was sent to Mr Bigley's family through the Irish Ambassador in Britain. "The message said that her hopes were with the family and that she was hoping for his safe return," the spokeswoman said.
Department of Foreign Affair officials, meanwhile, have been engaging with the Jordanian government to make representations on Ireland's behalf.
Mr Bigley, a 62-year-old engineer, is entitled to an Irish passport because his mother, Elizabeth, was born in Ireland. She originally lived in Ticknock, Co Dublin, before moving to Liverpool.
The Labour Party's foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Michael D. Higgins, has also been involved in efforts to free Mr Bigley and has criticised the British government's handling of the issue.
Last week, the Taoiseach made an appeal on al-Jazeera television for the captors to free Mr Bigley. The Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, also spoke in support of Mr Bigley's release.
Mr Bigley was kidnapped along with two US workers in Iraq last month. The two American hostages have since been beheaded by the group, which is linked to al-Qaeda.
Mr Paul Bigley yesterday claimed his brother had been handed over by the radical Tawhid and Jihad group to a less radical grouping which would demand a ransom in exchange for his release. Mr Bigley's family has reportedly said it is willing to pay whatever money is required.
