Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and the Minister of State.

The question I have for the Minister does not relate to the content of the Minister of State, Deputy Collins's speech so much as to an issue he has already been advised I raised at the committee. I proposed for our work programme that we examine the developing links between Irish third level education institutions and Chinese institutions. The Minister will be aware we passed a motion unanimously in the Seanad in November calling on the Government to use its diplomatic and trade channels to pressurise China over its abuses of human rights, particularly regarding the Uighur community. However, there is significant concern among the staff of various third level institutions in Ireland about the developing links. I am thinking, for example, of UCC's proposed joint college arrangement with Minzu University of China. There is also the question of the Confucius institutes established in UCD and UCC. Some countries have withdrawn from such arrangements. I am thinking of Sweden, the University of Chicago and Penn State University severing links with the institutes because they are seen as China projecting its power and there are significant human rights and human dignity concerns about the freedom particularly of Chinese staff and students coming to countries from China. For example, do they have the same freedom within and outside the curriculum or are there fears for their welfare, safety and freedom of thought and expression because of the Chinese Government’s wolf warrior diplomacy these days? These concerns are not imaginary. There are instances of-----