John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his opening statement. There are a lot of areas on which we could and should touch so I will try to be brief because I want to cover a number of areas. In his opening statement, the Minister referred to promoting human rights and how human rights are a priority for us. In November 2020, the European Council adopted the EU's action plan on human rights and democracy. It says that when there are human rights violations and abuses worldwide, we will take action regardless of where they are. Has the Minister read the Human Rights Watch report on Palestine that was published last week because it makes for damning reading? It finds that Israel has committed the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution as defined under the 1973 International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid and the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. I seek the Minister's comments on that report. Another independent human rights organisation has stated that Israeli authorities have demolished 58 Palestinian structures and have approved plans for the construction of nearly 5,000 settler units in occupied East Jerusalem since the beginning of the year. A number of human rights organisations are speaking about the actions of Israel on the ground in Palestine. We also know that even overnight, Israeli forces raided the homes of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, used tear gas and arrested many young people. These families are being forced out of their homes on Thursday to make way for Jewish settlers to take over.

A significant number of human rights abuses have taken place, which, in my view, amount to ethnic cleansing. Yet the Government's response seems to reward Israel and we see that by the opening of IDA offices in Israel. As opposed to taking definitive action against Israel, we seem to be rewarding it. There seems to be a level of double standards. Does the Minister view that as ethnic cleansing? Will he comment on the gross human rights abuses that are happening on the ground? Ireland will take over the presidency of the Security Council in September. Will we use the opportunity of our presidency to invite a Palestinian speaker to address Security Council members on the issue of Israeli treatment of Palestinian children and its failures to comply with its obligations as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

The Minister covered the issue of Tigray. There are major concerns regarding Tigray, the involvement of Eritrea and the wholesale slaughter of innocent people. We see the mass destruction of aid and the burning of villages. I note the statement made by the Security Council. Ireland can play a leading role given our strong links with Ethiopia. While the Minister mentioned the issue, we need to do more. We need to use our influence to address the appalling situation in Tigray.

We have received a number of briefing notes from the Minister and his Department on the situation in Yemen and the massive humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes in a conflict that has been largely forgotten by the international community. What definitive actions are being taken by the international community? On the one hand, we see statements issued condemning what is happening there and, on the other, we see many European and foreign countries providing arms to the Saudi Arabian regime. Would the Minister and the Department support an international arms embargo to help bring that dire situation in Yemen to an end?

Syria was mentioned. The situation there continues to be extremely concerning. The Minister touched on the issue of Idlib, which is worrying, but I wish to raise the broader picture of more than 13.4 million people in all areas of Syria relying on humanitarian aid. What is the Government's view on the unilateral sanctions on Syria, which are adding to the humanitarian crisis? What action is being taken against Turkey, which is using water as a weapon of war in restricting the water flow of the River Euphrates into Syria? That is impeding the generation of electricity and having serious consequences for irrigation and food production. It has been reported there have been up to a dozen attacks on fuel being imported into Syria predominantly from Iran and it is suggested those attacks are coming from Israel. I suggest there is piracy on the high seas and, as a result, ordinary people in Syria are having to live with the dire consequences of all of that.

I wish to raise two more issues. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the blockade on Cuba. Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly for the US to end its policy of economic aggression against Cuba. On 23 June, the UN General Assembly will again consider a resolution to put an end to the blockade on Cuba.

It is time to end that illegal blockade. What are the Government's views on this? Does the Minister think that there is an opportunity, with a new US President, even though the new Administration stated that Cuba is not a priority for it, to resolve this? Can the UN and the Government use their influence to pressurise the US Administration to end the blockade of Cuba?

The final issue I want to raise is that of trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights,TRIPS. The WTO met on Friday. There is a significant issue that is, unfortunately, playing out before our eyes in India. It is only the tip of the iceberg. In Thailand and Myanmar, cases of Covid are on the increase. The Government did lend some welcome assistance, although, in my view, it was tokenistic, to India, helping out with oxygen supplies. The real issue involved is the TRIPS waiver which needs to be introduced and implemented. Until everyone is vaccinated, we will not be out of the Covid crisis. The committee has done much work on intellectual property rights and the pharmaceutical companies that have developed and produced vaccines using substantial amounts of taxpayers' money. Now is the time to sign up to a TRIPS waiver. It is also time for the Government to sign up to the Covid-19 technology access pool, CTAP. What are the views of the Government on this? The European Commission said now is not the time for a TRIPS waiver or to address the issue of intellectual property rights. When is the time? There are 20 million cases of Covid in India and we see bodies being burned on the streets there. If now is not the time for a TRIPS waiver, when is? We can send over more oxygen supplies, which is welcome, but, in real terms, it is tokenistic. The major issue is to ensure people have access to a Covid vaccine.