Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his efforts to release a person (details supplied); and if he will raise the issue of Iraqi victims at the highest level. [24027/04]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will share the shock and sadness felt by the Government after the cruel and barbaric murder of Kenneth Bigley last week. I had hoped to respond to the Deputy's question in different circumstances and I am very disappointed that all our efforts and pleadings for mercy and humanity to be shown to Mr. Bigley went unanswered. I am sure that all Members of the House would join with the Government in expressing its most sincere condolences to his mother and to his family, whose courage and fortitude we came to know and admire over recent weeks. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this tragic time, as are those of all Irish people, at home and abroad.

It is against this tragic background that I will outline details of the Government's efforts in the case of Kenneth Bigley. When the Government learned that Mr. Bigley's mother Elizabeth was born in Dublin, my predecessor as Minister, Deputy Cowen, immediately spoke with the British Foreign Secretary and informed him of the Irish interest in the case. The next day, the Taoiseach issued an appeal to the Al-Jazeera network in which he appealed for Mr. Bigley's release. The Taoiseach also instructed the Irish Ambassador in London to communicate the sympathy and support of the President, the Government and the Irish people to the Bigley family.

Throughout the past few weeks, we were very actively monitoring the case. On my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs, I immediately reviewed the case with my senior officials to see how Irish influence could best be brought to bear. Following on from this, we had contacts with a number of authorities in the region. This included my discussing the Bigley case with the Jordanian Foreign Minister and the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amre Moussa. We remained in close touch with these contacts.

A passport was issued to Kenneth Bigley on 5 October on my instructions, to help convince his kidnappers of his Irish citizenship and in the hope that it would contribute to the efforts to secure his release. I was glad to respond positively to the request from his family for an Irish passport. Sadly, our efforts and the efforts of the Bigley family, the Jordanian and other Arab authorities, the British Government and the many other Governments and leaders throughout the world were ignored by the terrorists who held Kenneth.

The Government has from the outset called on all parties in the conflict to respect their obligations under international law both in regard to the status of civilians and in regard to prisoners of war. In line with this, the Government and the European Union have publicly and strongly condemned any incidents of abuse of prisoners in Iraq by occupying forces which have taken place as contrary to international humanitarian law. Equally, we have repeatedly deplored the taking of hostages and their subsequent execution by the hostage takers. The Government will continue to play its part, together with its partners in the European Union, in efforts to ensure the fullest possible respect for human rights in Iraq.