Mr. Michael Gaffey:

Deputy Crowe referred to these developments. In July, the Tánaiste raised our concerns at length with President Museveni over the anti-homosexuality Private Members' Bill that was waiting and that kept cropping up. Our ambassador raises the matter regularly. Our ambassador and staff keep in close contact with members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Uganda. During the past week there has been renewed controversy in part because of a dispute between a visiting Canadian minister and the speaker of the Parliament. It appears this Bill is being brought forward again. There is a suggestion that it might come before the Parliament in the coming weeks or before Christmas. All I can say is that we are following it closely at embassy and ambassador level. We are co-ordinating with other donors and other interested parties. We will leave the Ugandan authorities in no doubt about our continuing view that this would be most detrimental.