Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Wrafter for his extensive report on the role of our delegate to the Human Rights Council.

We are politicians from a sophisticated First World country. Collectively, we sing from the same hymn sheet where human rights are concerned, but I wonder whether we are not in a bubble. Perhaps Mr. Wrafter might help me to understand whether that is the case.

We should record the fact that the Chairman and all members of the committee worked assiduously with the ambassadors from each country with a view to lobbying them in support of our nomination. It was an extra tier of lobbying. Ireland is one of 47 countries represented around the table. We have a sophisticated western liberal democracy’s attitude to the issues of female genital mutilation, child brides and hunger. I was interested in learning from the briefing notes that we were working extremely hard to achieve limited goals. However, I presume we must also contend with opposition at meetings of the Human Rights Council. Mr. Wrafter supported the Hungarian position, for example. The case for human rights defenders not being discriminated against was won, but there were people on the council who voted against this. Ireland fought very hard to get its nominee on the council. Is Mr. Wrafter telling me that not all 47 council members adhere to the principles to which we adhere? Are there internal struggles. It is interesting to note the voting patterns of some representatives. Only one voted against the Hungarian position, but there was a substantial number of abstentions. Are we viewing the human rights arena differently from others?

With regard to the issue of female genital mutilation, we discovered that it was part of the culture when we were in Sierra Leone where some 50% of the children were affected. It is almost like making one's First Holy Communion in that it is a big event in the village. There will never be a shortage of human rights issues to be addressed. There are millions of them and the case in Syria is the one making the headlines. There are huge problems that we have not mentioned, including the human rights issue affecting the Roma, many million of whom are floating around Ireland, England and the rest of Europe. What is our position on it?

What is the position of the 47 ambassadors on the vulnerability of minorities? Gays and lesbians comprise but one minority and their case keeps being highlighted. There are also religious minorities operating in very restricted conditions. I include Christians in the Sahel area where Muslim terrorism is strong. There were recent horrors in Kenya involving guns. It reminded me of Northern Ireland when people were pulled from the back of a lorry and asked whether they were Catholic or Protestant. Either the Catholics or Protestants were killed; I forget which. Elsewhere, individuals were asked whether they were Muslim and if they could not recite the equivalent of the Lord’s Prayer or something else, they got a bullet in the head. Is there a western view of what constitutes human rights and is there another view? What is the political balance among the 47 representatives?

Mr. Wrafter has stated the council has been mandated to provide technical assistance. Can we receive further information on this? How does the council provide technical assistance and for capacity-building? Is there a separate budget for such matters?

It is important that Mr. Wrafter highlight the space for civil society. This is key because, if it is provided, it will open all sorts of doors.

I would have believed the health of children under five years would have been more a matter for UNICEF or the World Health Organization. How does the council relate with those charged with the provision of health care for the children in question?

I believed I had heard of all the countries in the world until Mr. Wrafter mentioned Tuvalu. Will he do me a favour and tell me where it is?

I congratulate Mr. Wrafter on the extremely good work he is doing. I would like to hear about the other forces at play within the council.