Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Tánaiste and Government well in the Presidency. This country has an excellent record when holding the Presidency of the EU. I hope our efforts on this occasion will at least emulate past performances in that regard.

In the context of human rights the Tánaiste referred to the adoption of EU guidelines on freedom of religion or belief and the development of new EU guidelines on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, LGBT, persons. What specific initiatives are involved under each of the headings? We recently heard from the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa, AWEPA, about the threat to homosexuals in Uganda and the committee discussed the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, across the Middle East and in other countries. We also have discrimination against Christians within the EU. It is much more subtle but, nonetheless, it exists. I would like to see such discrimination rooted out. I am interested in hearing what exactly the Tánaiste is doing in that regard.

I wish to follow up on a point made by Deputy Mitchell on sustainability and population planning. It is a significant issue in Africa in particular. I expect family planning education is a significant part of it. However, I am also aware that sometimes family planning and reproductive health are euphemisms for abortion, which is one of the greatest infringements of human rights. In America, 500,000 abortions take place every year and in Britain it is 200,000. That is a significant issue.