Mr. Colin Wrafter:

I have a lot of questions to answer and I will do my best to answer them as comprehensively as I can, beginning with Senator Jim Walsh's interventions. His comments about gender equality and rape as a weapon of war are correct. It is a source of serious concern for us that gender-based violence is a problem in Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rape has been a problem in the Balkans where it has been used as a weapon of war. In the context of peacekeeping and the Security Council, it is important that the gender equality aspects of peacekeeping and the reconciliation process in various countries take account of the need to deal with these problems.

With regard to the persecution of Christians in which the Senator has a strong interest, we are very concerned about the position in a number of countries. This applies in general in the context of freedom of religious beliefs and particularly in the context of the persecution of Christians. In Iran we are very unhappy with the position of the Baha'i community. Baha'i is not even recognised by the authorities as a religion, whereas Christianity is recognised as a legitimate religion by the government. The political turmoil that has overwhelmed many countries in the Middle East in recent years has led to unprecedented concerns which we share about the safety of Christians in Egypt, Iraq and now, pressingly, Syria. This is an issue in which the Senator has a particular interest. The descent of Syria into violence and disarray has left small Christian communities very exposed and sometimes subject to direct attack. We raised the issue of the safety of Christians in our bilateral contacts with the countries in question, stressing the responsibility of the government concerned to protect minorities. There was a meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on 21 August. In his interventions at the Council the Tánaiste ensured there was particular reference to the persecution of Christians in the Middle East in the statement released by the Council. In the Middle East region Irish Embassy officials have met local Christian leaders to discuss issues affecting their communities. Sometimes, as the Senator will appreciate, we are asked not to say things in public because it can work to the detriment of those involved, but we do what we can. Certainly, in contacts with governments we stress their responsibilities. There is a question about the individual rights of members of Christian communities, but there is also the danger to the heritage, including the cultural heritage, of Christian communities dating back almost 2000 years in countries in the Middle East.

I note what the Senator has said about the year of the family. I am not completely up to speed on it, but he makes a valid point on human rights in the context of the family.

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked about prisoners, which issue arises in particular but not exclusively in the context of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. A topic which we have not mentioned is the death penalty. We are active in a bilateral, quiet way in countries in which the death penalty is still used in trying to work towards a situation where it will eventually be phased out. We are also active in the context of a resolution passed every second year at the United Nations General Assembly, not the Human Rights Council, on the death penalty. We were active last year and will be active again next year.

Deputy Dan Neville referred to mental health, a matter of which the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is cognisant. There was reference to the need to help people with disabilities in the context of development. We see this as a human rights-based approach to vulnerable persons in countries with which we deal. It is something of which we are more and more conscious in the context of development and wider human rights.