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

I raise the case of Bernard Phelan, an Irish citizen who has been held hostage in Iran since last October and who has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison. In late February, he was sentenced to three and a half years for providing information to an enemy country, a charge he denies. He was then pardoned on humanitarian grounds, but was brought back and the pardon was revoked. His sentence is now a dreadful length. His family have highlighted his serious health condition. His 97-year-old father Vincent intends to hand in a petition to the Iranian embassy this Thursday. What action is the Government is taking to ensure Bernard's release or, at a minimum, that he gets the health care he needs? Is the Government going to insist on proceeding with opening an embassy in Teheran? Can the Government push for Bernard's release on humanitarian grounds?

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