Prime Minister Pledges Support for Child’s Return to Belfast from Lebanon

The Prime Minister has committed to facilitating ministerial meetings aimed at assisting in the return of a three-year-old boy from Lebanon to his mother residing in Belfast. Catherine Flanagan stated that she has been struggling to secure the return of her son, David, following his removal by his father and his relatives. The matter was brought up on Wednesday by East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons. Mr Robinson remarked, “Lebanon is in crisis and my constituent Catherine Flanagan is in despair. Her three-year-old son David Nahle has been out of her care for the last two years.” In 2023, the High Court in Belfast issued a ruling stipulating that David must be brought back to Northern Ireland. The handover was scheduled to occur on or before 17:00 on 18 August 2023 at Frankfurt Airport in Germany; however, this transfer did not take place. Mr Robinson stated that when Ms Flanagan initially “fled Lebanon,” she had received “no help or assistance from the UK embassy.” The MP questioned, “Can I ask the prime minister to engage in this issue and at the very least ask the foreign secretary to assist my constituent in her earnest desire to see her three-year-old son again?” Sir Keir responded, “Can I thank [Mr Robinson] for raising this case and for all that he’s doing on behalf of Catherine and David. I hope they get some comfort from knowing they’ve got an MP working so hard on their behalf. It is, I know, a complex, a difficult, situation, but of course I will make sure that the relevant meetings are set up with the relevant ministers to ensure that he gets the answers that he needs, on behalf of his constituents.” Following the exchange, Mr Robinson issued a statement indicating his approval of the prime minister’s “commitment to ensure that Catherine will have the necessary meetings with relevant ministers.” He added, “This must lead to a change in attitude within the Foreign Office, with every effort made to reunite this family.” In July, Ms Flanagan expressed her desire for assistance from both the UK and Irish governments. Ms Flanagan further commented, “It is not a tenable situation, where a court in Belfast orders that a child, a baby, is to be returned to his mother and that mother doesn’t even know where the child is.” She also stated, “In a place like Lebanon currently, it is not safe.” She concluded, “I really need a diplomatic solution to this, I love David and his father loves David – there has to be a compromise. There has to be a child-centred, a David-centred solution to this.” Earlier this year, BBC Spotlight journeyed to Lebanon to conduct an interview with David’s father, Dr Mustapha Ali Nahle. Dr Nahle indicated that he would not be sending David back to his mother, asserting his belief that his son is secure. He stated, “I am Lebanese, I live in Lebanon, I obey for Lebanese laws, that’s it.”