Mr. Eamon Gilmore:

The issues that Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan raises will be very much part of my agenda on Monday when I co-chair the EU-Colombia human rights dialogue. As part of my visits to Colombia, I regularly meet civil society organisations, including indigenous people, Afro-Colombians, trade unions, churches, and broad spectrum human rights bodies. I do that as part of my work on Colombia. Specifically relating to the human rights dialogue next week, my colleagues in the European Union delegation and from the External Action Service will be conducting consultations today and tomorrow with civil society organisations in advance of the human rights dialogue on Monday. On Monday morning, before the commencement of the formal human rights dialogue, I will meet the representatives of civil society organisations to hear directly from them the issues they wish the dialogue to address. The dialogue will address issues such as the Deputy raised, including the human rights and labour rights provisions in the trade agreement between the EU and Colombia. That would be very much on our agenda. That is part of the overlap.

On the issue of the extradition of Mr. Santrich, that issue is being considered by the JEP. While there are a number of issues being considered, the central issue, as I understand it, that is being considered is about when the alleged offence was committed, and they are addressing that at the moment. I do not want to comment on the case because it is before what is essentially a court and we have to respect the independence of it. There were concerns, however, about the conditions in which Mr. Santrich was being held and he went on hunger strike for a time. I visited him in detention during that hunger strike period and talked to him. I am very pleased that he subsequently ended the hunger strike, not because of my discussion with him, because I know others had discussions with him as well, but I think this has enabled the JEP to consider his case. My understanding is that a decision on it is imminent. It is like any court in that we must wait for its judgment. Obviously we will see then what happens after that.