19 October 2006
Dr. Henry: Having seen, as a member of the Joint Committee on Health Children, the legal advice as to the reason the report on the Leas Cross case was not published, I wonder if it will ever be published. I wish this type of advice was sought before the commissioning of reports rather than on their completion.
In a most disturbing report from Ethiopia a judge stated that a massacre took place after last year's disputed elections. Ethiopia is one of our priority countries in Africa. I have visited it several times and representatives from that country, including members of the opposition, have visited Ireland. I ask the Leader to raise this matter with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in order that he can approach the Government of Ethiopia on the issue. The judge who issued the report has been forced to flee the country and some of the parliamentarians elected last year, including Dr. Berhanu Negga who visited Ireland and spoke to many public representatives here, are in prison in Addis Ababa. Members of the Oireachtas travelled to Ethiopia as scrutineers for the election. I am sure many Senators would be grateful if the Leader were to raise the matter with the Minister.
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