Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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24. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps she will take to bring an Irish resident (details supplied) home to County Roscommon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66114/25]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the engagement she has had with Iraqi authorities in relation to the case of an Irish resident (details supplied) and their repatriation to County Roscommon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66115/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 92 together.

I am aware of this case and of the Deputy's consistent and constructive interest in it.

The subject of this case is an Australian citizen, and so primary consular responsibility falls to Australia. But as an Irish resident, with an Irish family, the Government have been very active on his behalf, in support of the efforts by Australia.

This has involved continuously raising this case with the Iraqi authorities, at diplomatic level both with the Iraqi Embassy in Dublin and the Irish Ambassador in Jordan travelling to Baghdad to make direct representations. At political level, the Tánaiste, when Minister for Foreign Affairs, was actively engaged in the case and spoke with the Iraqi Minister for Foreign Affairs by telephone, and more recently in person when they met in New York. He also maintained close contact with the family in Ireland. Previous Ministers for Foreign Affairs have also raised the case with the Iraqi Foreign Minister and the Taoiseach recently wrote to the Iraqi Prime Minister about it. We have made clear that in our view the person's conviction was unsound, and that he should be allowed now to return home to his family in Ireland.

The person completed his prison sentence in January, but continued to be detained in prison. In June he was released on bail, but required to remain in Iraq due to what the Iraqi administration claim to be outstanding fines and possible further proceedings. Our hopes that he would be allowed to leave soon after release have therefore been frustrated. We have made clear to the Iraqi authorities that we consider him to be still detained in Iraq, and this should end. We will continue to make every effort to secure his release, consistent with the efforts by Australia.

Iraq has made good progress in recent years in rebuilding after long years of dictatorship and war. It is regrettable that the continuation of this case is hampering the better development of relations which we would like to see.