Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 20 October 2016

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

9:30 am

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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I was glad to hear the Minister's comments on neutrality. I know that he will give a response on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA. I should have raised the matter given that a motion on CETA was passed in the Seanad at the behest of our colleague, Senator Higgins. I ask him for an update on the Government's response to the motion.

I thank the Minister for his full answers to my questions on Syria. Does he have the timeframe for the relocation? He has said that we are close to the original resettlement target for Lebanese refugees. Given what he called the bureaucratic obstacles in Italy, can he say for sure if there is a timeframe for reaching relocation targets even though he expects to soon see numbers increase?

On the Palestine issue, I echo the words of others on the recognition of the state of Palestine. Can the Minister comment on the reports raised in the media about the closure of a bank account in respect of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign? My colleague, Senator Norris, has raised the matter in the Seanad.

Finally, members have talked about Turkey. The Minister mentioned in his statement that there is a need to ensure, among other things, "that the political process to resolve the Kurdish issue can be resumed". All of us share a concern about the rights of Kurdish minorities, particularly since the repressive crackdown by the Turkish Government following an attempted coup. Can the Minister state Ireland's position on the recognition of the rights for the Kurdish minority? Does it extend to support for an autonomous Kurdistan, an independent state or autonomy within Turkey?