Many Members of the Seanad are absent as they are attending the funeral of our colleague, Senator Peter Callanan, RIP, who died suddenly at his home at Innishannon, west Cork, last Sunday. I extend condolences to the late Senator's family and friends. He will be greatly missed by his many friends here and in west Cork. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.
Business of Joint Committee.
We are clashing with the consultation between the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and and the artistic community. Some members wish to attend that meeting as well. If I leave it is because I have to go to that meeting.
I remind members and those in the Visitors' Gallery to ensure their mobile phones and BlackBerries are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even on silent mode, with the recording equipment in committee rooms.
The minutes of the meeting of 8 October have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. We have one item of EU scrutiny concerning decisions taken by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny on 13 October. It is proposed that this be noted. Is that agreed? Agreed.
On behalf of members I would like to express this committee's serious concern at the kidnapping of Father Michael Sinnott in the Philippines this week. He is an elderly man in frail health and we hope and pray for his early release. The Irish ambassador to Singapore, Mr. Richard O'Brien, has travelled to the region and will have meeting with the Defence and Foreign Ministries to intensify efforts to secure his early release.
I raised this matter on the Adjournment of the Dáil last night. Deputies Kehoe and Howlin also spoke on it. In replying to the Minister of State present, we mentioned that we all appealed, even to those who are in informal contact with the Columban order, for Fr. Sinnott's medicines to be made available to him and that we all looked forward to his early and safe release.
I thank Deputy Higgins. I would like to inform members that following yesterday's hearing in the Coroner's Court concerning the killing of Mr. Michael Dwyer in Bolivia, I have requested a meeting with the Bolivian ambassador to Ireland to discuss the matter. I am hopeful this meeting will take place in early November when the ambassador will be here.
I welcome that development. I raised this issue with the Taoiseach on the Order of Business this morning. The very least the Dwyer family is entitled to know are the full facts surrounding this incident. There is a conflict of evidence based on the information given by the Bolivian authorities and the facts established by the State pathologist, Dr. Cassidy. It is important that the Bolivian ambassador comes before the committee as soon as possible. While we are on the issue, perhaps we should request that the Sudanese ambassador return. I attended the committee several months ago, and Ms Sharon Commins remains in captivity which is a matter of growing concern.
We will make that request. He came before the committee, as the Deputy knows, and went to see the family following that meeting.
I welcome the initiative to meet the Bolivian ambassador. I and some colleagues met the family of Mr. Dwyer. It is a very complicated situation but the medical evidence is extremely important and the evidence given by our distinguished State pathologist raises very clear questions which should be directed at the ambassador. She seemed to take quite a different view, one which appears to be in contradiction to the evidence. I am not judging whatever involvement Mr. Dwyer may have had one way or the other with various groups. I have no knowledge of that — it could and should be probed — but when there is such a clear conflict between the medical evidence of somebody whose practice we know here and whose reputation and professional skills we understand, we are then in a position to ask very direct questions and I support Deputy Timmins's request.
It would be useful to have the Sudanese ambassador before the committee again. I would relish an opportunity to meet him in this context, when all the hostages are released. We could then treat him to a clearer view of what our positions are, rather than having to be diplomatic and constrained by the situation regarding those in captivity.
I thank the Senator.