SEANAD:THE SEANAD is likely to unite in sending a message to the Bahraini authorities about the detention of medical personnel who cared for the wounded in disturbances in the Gulf state.

John Crown (Ind) said many of these people had trained in Ireland, had “delivered our babies, healed our sick and patched up our wounds”, but they were now undergoing an ordeal for no greater crime than treating wounded protesters in their country.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs should use whatever influence he could with the Bahraini government to ensure that these innocent medical practitioners got justice.

Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF) said no democrat would accept that it was correct for any administration to use the caring profession in the context of a political agenda. Senators should not underestimate the importance of the House in giving a voice to people who did not have a voice of their own. Senators should do this on a united basis.

Mary White (FF) said the Royal College of Surgeons, which had trained some of these doctors and which had medico-educational links with Bahrain, should have the moral courage to speak out about what was happening.

Ronan Mullen (Ind) said he had been astonished to read that Ivana Bacik (Lab) had said she would approve of an Irish ban on what she had called male genital mutilation.

Ms Bacik had been praised for her endeavours to make female genital mutilation illegal, he noted.

“Now MGM has a musical ring to it, but I am not sure it’s an appropriate characterisation of circumcision and whether that’s what she means.”

He wondered if Ms Bacik had considered that such a proposal could be deeply insensitive towards Jewish and Muslim communities. He would also like to know if she had contacted the Department of Justice to determine its view on the matter.