Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his detailed outline of his participation at the recent Foreign Affairs Council meeting. The committee had an opportunity to express its outrage at the recent events in Tunisia and to pass on its sympathies to the families of the victims. We witnessed the carnage and the appalling murders of innocent people by fundamentalists. Europe and the civilised world need to deal collectively with the security issues arising from such terror.

I assume protocols and advice given by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Irish travellers are updated regularly, particularly advice for those travelling outside of the European Union. The Department advises people to register with it if they go to countries or regions outside of Europe in which there are difficulties. Do many people adhere to the particular advice? Could this message be better got across to the public?

The Minister referred to the drowning of 2,000 migrants in the Mediterranean so far this year. It is an appalling loss of life of so many innocent people. Is that figure accepted as an accurate estimate? He referred to the forthcoming EU-African Union summit in November. Will the main subject matter of that summit be the migration issue? I know a summit cannot be arranged overnight. However, the fact that this summit is not until November does not give the impression that much urgency is attached to this issue. Is there expected to be a separate summit at which decisions will be made to deal with it?

In his statement the Minister outlined, “The aim of the mission [EU NAVFOR MED] is to disrupt the business model of people smugglers and traffickers”. The word “disrupt” is rather diplomatic. I would hope the European Union, along with other members of the international community, will be aiming to smash, eliminate, minimise or end this horrible practice that imposes so much suffering on so many innocent and destitute people. The Minister said he would like to see a UN Security Council Resolution that would pull together the different aspects of the means of achieving a worthwhile solution. Has he any idea how soon such a resolution could be expected?

Today is the first anniversary of the Israeli military operation against Gaza, when we witnessed for 50 days devastation on the Gaza Strip. Unfortunately, 1,400 Palestinian civilians were killed, as well as six Israeli civilians. Subsequently, there was a pledging conference at which Europe again was the major contributor and donor. I welcome the fact the Minister participated in it. However, not a single destroyed house has been rebuilt in the meantime and up to 100,000 people still remain displaced. The situation is deteriorating. I welcome the fact that following discussions at the European Council meeting, the European Union agreed to step up its engagement. Will the Minister take the opportunity at the forthcoming Council meeting to call on Israelis and Palestinians to fully comply with their obligations under international law? This is a call that should go out from the European Union.

Relations between the European Union and Israel should be made conditional on progress towards adherence to international law. The Minister, along with 15 other EU foreign Ministers, wrote to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the labelling of products from Israeli settlements in store chains throughout Europe. Has there been any progress on this, as well as the implementation of a ban on trade and investment with Israeli settlements?

Recently, the plans to forcibly transfer the Palestinian inhabitants of the village of Susiya have been brought to the committee’s attention. The European Union should unanimously call for an immediate halt to those plans. The forcible transfer of people and the destruction of private property must be in breach of the Geneva Convention. I hope there would be a clear statement at the council meeting on the need to halt such plans.

With regard to the post-2015 development agenda, I welcome the senior political representation that will attend the forthcoming Addis Ababa conference. Will the Minister take the opportunity at the conference, or will the Taoiseach on behalf of the Government and the State, to recommit to the 0.7% of gross national income target for overseas development aid? Will particular steps be outlined as to how that target can be met?

During the recent visit by the UN Secretary General to Ireland and the European Union, did he give any indication that the UN is serious about modernising its structures? The committee has often discussed this matter. The UN’s structures were put in place after the Second World War but the geopolitical scene across the world has changed dramatically in the meantime. The composition of the Security Council needs to be revisited.

I hope a constant theme running through EU proposals tackling the multifaceted issues associated with climate change, and Irish proposals in particular, will be the need to promote and defend the sustainable food production systems that we have in Europe but which unfortunately do not exist elsewhere. Our sustainable food production systems can contribute and are environmentally friendly. It is very important that this theme be strongly carried through in all resolutions and policies.

I do not believe there was any reference in the Minister's report to EU-Russia relations. When sanctions are renewed, is it the Foreign Affairs Council or the Heads of State who renew them? Although they might not be having a very direct impact on Irish exports, they are having an indirect impact because of the displacement of markets for other competitors. Is there any improvement in relations with Russia? Is the issue off the agenda or subject matter for discussion at the forthcoming Council meeting?