Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Members of the Georgian Parliament are most welcome. At the outset, I wish to say that they have the most active ambassador of any ambassador to Ireland. Ambassador Zurabashvili is a regular attendee in these Houses and a consistent advocate for all the interests of Georgia. I want to formally put that on record. All our guests are welcome.

As the delegation will know, the general position of Ireland is very supportive of enlargement. Members of this committee have already visited George and we have indicated our support for Georgian membership of the European Union, as we have done in respect of other candidate and potential candidate countries. However, there are obvious issues. I very much welcome Mr. Samkharadze's presentation. It was a comprehensive presentation of all the difficulties involved in membership and in complying with the Copenhagen criteria, the rule of law and the conditions of good neighbourliness, which are all requirements of membership. All the positive points are acknowledged and considered good, but it would be remiss of us, as a committee, if we did not delve into the matters that are discordant.

First, I raise the issue of the foreign agents Bill. I know has been withdrawn and we all saw the resulting hiatus within the Georgian Parliament, but there is a fear among NGOs. It is a bit like the Israeli Bill on judicial reform; it was withdrawn but it is not dead. I am interested to hear about the motivation behind putting forward legislation that does not sit well with the principles of the European Union. That would be a strongly held view of most if not all members of this committee. What motivated the tabling of the Bill? What reassurances can be given that it will not reappear and that it is actually withdrawn?

The second issue is human rights. Our guests will know of the deep concern we have, as expressed by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, about the so-called LGBT propaganda Bill in Hungary that outlaws the presentation of homosexuality in a positive light in that country. There are fears that such a law might be replicated in Georgia. These stem from comments by Prime Minister Garibashvili and the chair of the Georgian Dream Party, Irakli Kobakhidze, indicating that there may be some intention to follow that path. It would be useful to us, and to those who have voiced their concerns, if the delegation could be very clear on this. It has been presented to us that LGBT issues have already been removed from the state's human rights agenda and from strategic documents that have been published. These are the presentations given to us by human rights organisations working in this country. For us to better understand the situation in Georgia, it would be helpful if the delegation provides a clear and unequivocal statement, on behalf of the Georgian Parliament, first, on the full and complete vindication of LGBT rights and, second, on the so-called foreign agents Bill, that it was an aberration and will not re-emerge, in addition to how it emerged in the first place.