Mary Henry (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Many Bulgarian nurses work abroad. Bulgaria is a poor country and they go abroad to earn money to send home to their families. In particular, they travel to the Middle East and north Africa.

I wish to refer to what was initially a group of about 40 nurses who worked in the children's hospital in Benghazi, Libya. In February 1999, they were arrested and charged with intentionally infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. It was never made clear to me or to anyone, and I have asked the Libyan ambassador to the European Union in Brussels about the matter, why anyone would want to deliberately infect children with HIV. Eventually the group held under arrest was reduced to five nurses and a Palestinian doctor and these unfortunate people have either been in jail or under house arrest since 1999. Some claim to have been treated very badly while they were in prison. Indeed, two of them claim to have been raped but the people who were accused were acquitted of any wrongdoing.

International medical experts have testified that the Benghazi HIV outbreak began two years before the foreign nurses and doctor were employed. As we know, HIV outbreaks have occurred in most parts of the world and poor hygiene and lack of knowledge of risks are the most frequent causes. It was felt in this case that the use of unsterilised needles and HIV contaminated blood transfusions were important in Benghazi, as elsewhere. When I met the Libyan ambassador to the EU, I pointed out that we had similar problems here. They have occurred everywhere. Some 40 children have died and their parents, as well as public opinion in Libya, must be placated. It seems the cases against these nurses and doctor are the required sacrifice.

The accused have been through the legal system and have been sentenced to death. Their final appeal against this sentence took place on 15 November but a decision has been postponed until 31 January 2006. It is claimed that some of the accused gave confessions under torture, an action that was taken to aid the prosecution case. President Gaddafi has said that if confessions were procured under torture, that evidence would not be admissible. He will not intervene in the case, however, saying that the courts must decide. The suggestion has been made that $3 billion in compensation should be paid to the relatives of those who died in the outbreak, a similar sum to that given by Libya to the relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing. This cannot be agreed, however, because it would be an admission that the nurses and doctor deliberately infected the children, which they did not.

The Bulgarian Government did not initially seek publicity because it believed a quiet approach to the Libyan Government was the best option. However, it is now desperate for help. The Irish Government has been helpful in the past and the EU and United States Government have spoken out. I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to take any action he can to aid the relief of these people. An imaginative solution is needed. I have asked members of Sinn Féin who have had relationships with Libya if they can do anything. The situation is so desperate that we must all consider any action that can be taken. I hope the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, will convey this message to the Department of Foreign Affairs.