Minister helps GP get a stint out of jail

JUNIOR minister Finian McGrath has helped a taxevading Dublin doctor to secure temporary release from prison to attend an Islamic festival.

Mr McGrath has mounted a controversial campaign to have him freed from the entirety of his sentence. The Minister of State for Disabilities has been to the forefront of a campaign for Dr Bassam Naser, 51, to be released from his 16-month prison sentence after he was convicted of failing to pay almost €100,000 in income tax.

Mr McGrath said the temporary release was a ‘small victory’, but he told the Irish Mail on Sunday that he would continue to urge Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to cancel the remainder of Naser’s sentence on ‘compassionate and humanitarian grounds’.

‘Nobody is condoning tax evasion and I am not supporting a tax evader,’ said Mr McGrath.

‘But this is about a family who are brokenhearted and have a child with a disability… The justice system is not fair in relation to this sentence.

‘He’ll pay back the money, and imagine the community service he could do as a top-class GP. We are crying out for GPs in this country, and he has been so well regarded because he does outof-hours visits to his patients.’

Mr McGrath said he is thankful to the prison service for listening to his ‘strong, compelling case’ on behalf of a ‘model prisoner. Of course he should have to pay a penalty but in this case I believe it should be community service,’ he told the MoS.