Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the Tánaiste and the departmental officials. I join others in acknowledging this country's good news on the human rights agenda. It is indicative of the Tánaiste's commitment to delivering for this country that we have secured such a prestigious opportunity to show our compassion at international level.

I would like to raise an issue that is of great concern to me. Like many Members of the Oireachtas, I find the news coming from Uganda particularly odious. The Tánaiste will be aware that the Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament has said that the Parliament intends before Christmas to pass anti-homosexual laws that would impose the death penalty on homosexual people. As the Tánaiste is aware, homosexuals in many African countries - particularly Uganda - suffer from severe discrimination and persecution. The proposed legislation in Uganda would represent a serious escalation and persecution of vulnerable people in those societies. I suggest that pressure is required from the international community, particularly from Ireland and the rest of the EU, to prevent this Bill from passing in Uganda. I would like to ask the Tánaiste if he intends to raise this matter at the EU or with our European partners. He is aware that the Governments of the United Kingdom and Sweden have said they intend to cut off aid from Uganda if this legislation is passed. This seems to be a reasonable proposal that would apply maximum pressure on the Ugandan Government. It is simply perverse for Ireland and other EU countries to supply aid to a country that is guilty of gross human rights breaches. Is the Tánaiste in a position to describe how he plans to approach the matter at EU level? Does the Government have any plans to suspend Irish aid to Uganda if this legislation is not withdrawn?