Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With regret, I once again rise today to speak up on behalf of Robert Pether, who is callously locked up in an Iraqi jail. We in this House fought very hard for Richard O'Halloran, and rightly so. I was part of that campaign, as were many other Senators. However, I am sad to say that nobody seems to be interested in doing much about Robert Pether's case. For those who do not know, Mr. Pether is Australian but his wife and children are Irish citizens. His wife's family came from Dublin and emigrated to Australia a number of years ago. I am not going into all that happened but I will pay tribute to the Leader on the efforts she has made in her engagements with the Department of Foreign Affairs, in her meetings with me, in her meeting with Desree Pether and her son and in her involvement with diplomatic people in Australia and Iraq. It is a sad reflection on the state of affairs that I am again raising this matter here today. Whether people like it or not, I will say here that I do not think enough effort is being put in for the Pether family. I am watching a family in meltdown. They live near me at home in County Roscommon. I have seen, in some of the links they have with the jail when they are allowed to talk to their father and husband, how hard it is on him. If we do not get some more action from the Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs on this, I am going to demand that we have a debate in this House about the plight of the Pether family and their husband and dad. I am going to push this because they are being totally left behind. It is not good enough. There is absolute goodwill here. Many Senators have spoken to me and have done their best. As I have said, the Leader has done her best and the Cathaoirleach always allows me to bring up this matter. We need to do more. I look forward to the Leader's response.