Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

The Tánaiste referred to Amnesty International's concerns in this case. Is he aware that the detention of the individual in question appears to violate Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights dealing with the detention of prisoners and of the UN standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners? Is the Tánaiste further aware that Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, is to carry out an investigation into the detention of this individual?

Given, as I stated earlier, Ireland's well deserved reputation for defending human rights throughout the world, will Ireland take a stand on this issue? I, as much as anybody else in this Chamber, respect President Barrack Obama who made torture at Guantanamo Bay and so on one of the planks of his campaign. It is important to be consistent, in particular for a President who has given hope to so many of us in progressive politics.

See this speech in context