Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I sometimes wonder whether it is worth bringing motions like this before the House in order to get a response from the Government. There is much frustration among many people in Ireland who are interested the Burma tragedy. Organisations such as Burma Action Ireland and others are continually trying to raise the profile of what is happening in a country with a population in excess of 70 million, that continues to be run by a military dictatorship.

I am glad in some ways that the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, is present as I expect he will know something about Burma, given his interest in foreign affairs as well as his own brief. I ask him, however, not to read out a history lesson on Burma for us. I would like to know what stance the Government thinks it can take, or is willing to take, in responding to what happened in Burma yesterday. At least 14 — some reports say up to 23 — political prisoners were sentenced to 65 years in prison for so-called crimes of using electronic media — in other words, they are bloggers. They were also charged with harming public tranquility and forming so-called illegal organisations. In many cases, the latter are peaceful political organisations seeking democratic governance in their country.

I have raised the issue of Burma on many occasions in various fora, including the European Parliament and on the floor of this House. Just when it looks as if some progress is inching forward, however, the rulers in the military junta seem deliberately to give the international community the two fingers. As recently as last month, the UN Security Council called for all political prisoners in Burma to be released. We now have a new UN Secretary General who understands the political complications of this part of the world very well and has taken a personal interest in what is happening in Burma, or Mayanmar as it is known by some countries. Yet we continue to get the kind of brutal response in the treatment of its own people.

I wish to ask the Minister of State a number of questions. I have read the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin's, response. The words are strong but I would like to know what he will actually do to raise this issue at European Council level. Will the EU's Common Position on Burma be changed? Will he raise the matter in the context of future EU-ASEAN meetings? Will he raise it with his counterparts in other EU countries who, in turn, can raise it at UN level? In that way, the international community, through the UN Security Council — which is the ultimate arbiter of an international strategy towards Burma — can take a tougher stance and send stronger signals to a military dictatorship that seems to understand nothing else.

There are strange but real connections between Ireland and Burma. Many of the minority ethnic population there have had biographies of Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera translated into their own dialect. This is to try to inspire hope for their struggle for independence. I saw those books when I visited that part of the world.

In addition, Irish aid agencies working in refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border are doing fantastic work. The Government, through Irish Aid, is sponsoring much of that humanitarian work. We should try to get a serious response from the Government this time around. We will raise in a determined fashion on the international stage the ongoing human rights consequences of what continues to happen in Burma in a way that will at least make some small difference.

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