Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on a recent statement by the UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief concerning the treatment of followers of the Baha'i faith in Iran; his further views on the rapporteurs concerns regarding a recent initiative by the Iranian authorities to monitor followers of the Baha'i faith; if he has taken or will take action on the matter. [14451/06]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 365: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the United Nations commissioned report on the religious freedom and treatment of the Baha'i faith in Iran; the steps he proposes to take to alleviate the difficulties being experienced by that faith in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14539/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 365 together.

The statement made on 20 March by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, is the latest in a series of reports which raise serious concerns about the situation of the Baha'i community in Iran.

My Department maintains close contacts with the Baha'i community in Ireland about the situation of their co-religionists on the ground. In its contacts with the Iranian Embassy in Dublin the Department regularly conveys the Government's concerns.

Ireland has also frequently raised the situation of the Baha'i in Iran at EU level and the EU's concerns about the treatment of the Baha'i have in turn been brought to the attention of the Iranian authorities on many occasions. Ireland and its EU partners have also supported resolutions on Iran at the UN General Assembly and at the UN Commission on Human Rights. These initiatives have brought specific attention to the plight of the Baha'i in Iran.

The situation of the Baha'i community has also been raised during the formal EU-Iran human rights dialogues, the last session of which took place during the Irish Presidency of the EU in 2004. Iran has been reluctant to agree dates for a renewed session of the human rights dialogue and the dialogue has been in abeyance since that time, though consultations on the next session are ongoing.

The external relations council on 10 April 2006 issued conclusions on Iran which underlined the EU's continuing concern about human rights in Iran, in particular the treatment of the Baha'i and other religious minorities. In addition, the EU Presidency raised a number of human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government on 11 April 2006, including the problems alluded to in the special rapporteur's statement. Ireland and the EU will remain engaged on this issue and will continue to raise it at all appropriate fora.