In the Dáil on 17 November 2004 statements were allowed on the abduction and murder of Margaret Hassan, an Irish national in Iraq. During the course of those statements I said Margaret Hassan had converted to Islam. This statement was untrue. Margaret Hassan was a devout Catholic who continued to practice her religion during the years she was in Iraq.
I wish, therefore, to have the Official Report for the Dáil of 17 November 2004 corrected to indicate that Margaret Hassan had not converted to Islam but was, in fact, a devout and practising Catholic. I regret not having done so prior to this. While her body has never been recovered, I hope some day that will happen and that she will receive a Christian burial.