Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has received literature from the Bahá'i community here expressing their concern at the treatment of their co-religionists in Iran; the discussions which have been held between members of his Department and members of the Baha'i faith in this regard; the progress being made at United Nations level with respect to this issue and the actions which Ireland has taken in this matter. [19713/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Extensive literature concerning the situation of the Bahá'í community in Iran has been received over recent months, including the statement made on 20 March by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir. This statement is the latest in a series of reports which raise serious concerns about this matter.

The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains close contacts with the Bahá'í 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 Bahá'í in Iran at EU level and the EU's concerns about the treatment of the Bahá'í 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 Bahá'í in Iran.

The situation of the Bahá'í 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 General Affairs and External Relations Council on 10 April 2006 underlined the EU's continuing concern about human rights in Iran, in particular the treatment of the Bahá'í and other religious minorities. These concerns were reiterated on 15 May 2006. 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 actively engaged on this issue and will continue to raise it in all appropriate fora.