Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I warmly welcome Dr. Robinson to the House. I am delighted she took time out to be here. It is a great honour for the House. When I told my wife Mary she was coming, she could not resist the opportunity to sit in Gallery because she is a great admirer of her.

Today is a significant day for Dr. Robinson to come to the House because it starts the 16 days of action opposing violence against women here and throughout the world. As a member of the Council of Europe, Dr. Robinson is particularly active in this regard and nobody has been a greater advocate of fighting for the rights of women than she has, in particular on the issue of violence against women. I thank the Leader of the House for inviting her here today.

When I was Minister of State at the Department of Health from 1987 to 1989, Dr. Robinson was a Senator. We were in the antechamber when this room was undergoing reconstruction. My officials hoped she would not be present not because they did not like or admire her, but because they knew she would be incisive on a Bill. We had a great discussion on the removal of the word "illegitimacy" from what was a very good Bill. The then Senator played a very important role and, like everything she contributes to, she was very incisive.

In her role as a former High Commissioner for Human Rights, I hope she gets an opportunity, with The Elders, to visit Gaza and Palestine. They have taken a particular interest in the area. Gaza is an open prison and a sore in the region. I hope she helps to bring peace and harmony between Israel and Palestine. I was asked by Senator Power, who could not be here for Dr.Robinson's speech because she had other commitments, to raise that issue.

As Dr. Robinson is well aware, the report of the Basuni commission has just been published. It vindicates the testimony of Irish trained medics and other Bahrainians regarding torture in custody following the anti-government protests earlier this year. It also highlights the increased repression by the Bahrain regime of the civil and political rights of its people, in particular the Shi'ite minority. Have The Elders discussed the situation in Bahrain with Dr. Robinson? I urge her to do anything she can to help them.