Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Fáiltím an Ceann Comhairle ar ais. When the Taoiseach attended the European Political Community forum in Prague on 6 October, the protests in Iran were only a few weeks old. Tomorrow marks the two-month anniversary of the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in Iran. Since then, more than 300 people have died over two months of demonstrations, and as many as 14,000 may have been imprisoned. The impetus to act grows as more and more people are detained on bogus charges. I met last week with representatives of the Irish-Iranian campaign group Support Equality and Freedom for Iran. They said to me how best they feel Ireland can use its diplomatic power to effect change. I ask that at every opportunity when the Taoiseach engages with other EU leaders, if he might: reinforce calls for new sanctions on Iran; ensure that we also use our place on the Security Council to act on the Iranian issue; and that we take action here in Ireland. I have called on the Taoiseach previously to consider expelling the Iranian ambassador because of the absolutely egregious abuses of human rights being committed on a daily basis against protesters in Iran and because of the repression of women's rights in that country.

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