John Crown (Independent)

Could the Leader seek clarification from the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on several issues that were raised before and one additional issue?

Is there ongoing monitoring by officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the situation of Bahraini medics, who now face their second trial having gone through a military trial, despite the Bahraini prosecutorial authorities having stated some time ago that the charges would likely be dropped? To refresh the memories of my colleagues these are nurses, doctors and hospital administrators, some of whom have an educational link with this country, and who it appears were arrested for no crime other than looking after the victims of a civil insurrection that was taking place in Bahrain.

Will the Leader ask the Minister if a formal representation has been made to the Iranian Embassy with respect to Pastor Nadarkhani, the Christian minister in Iran who has been sentenced to death for apostasy, denying what is perceived to be the one true faith in Iran? Has there been any formal representation on this? I bring to the attention of my colleagues in the Seanad that, while I am not sure this is cause and effect, some weeks after I mentioned this previously, the Iranian Government found occasion to criticise the human rights record of the Republic of Ireland in the United Nations, an extraordinary example of finger pointing. Having said that, I would like to know if any representations have been made on behalf of this brave man.

I was not here last week, I was at a conference on breast cancer, but I would like to associate myself with some of the remarks made about the anti-Semitic murders in Toulouse last week. When we read the circumstances of how the Sandler family were almost exterminated and eight year old Myriam Monsenego was pursued into a schoolyard by a gunman who held her by the hair while he shot her in the head for no other crime than being Jewish, it is important to recognise that the spectre of specific anti-Jewish anti-Semitism is alive and well in Europe and in our society. While I totally understand people have legitimate concerns and advocate for rights of other ethnic groups such as Palestinian Muslims and Christians in the Middle East, I ask that people think long and hard before allowing themselves to be associated with organisations such as Hamas, which have a specifically anti-Semitic agenda.