Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the visit by Deputies Higgins, Kitt, Breen and Senator Daly to Colombia. I applaud Deputy Higgins on that initiative. It is important that Oireachtas representatives visit such locations to see and hear at first hand from a variety of different perspectives. This adds value to our consideration of the situation.

I agree with the basic points made by Deputy Higgins in regard to impunity and the need to view the transition to a new Government and new leadership as an opportunity to deliver on commitments given. The Deputy will be aware from previous responses to questions on this matter that I met last February with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navanethem Pillay, at which time I specifically asked for her perspective in respect of Colombia and progress and human rights issues in that regard. The response I received was positive. All of this is in a relative context in terms of where we are coming from in that country.

On the human rights clause, it is a strong clause. Obviously, much depends on the will of the European Union to, in given situations, invoke its rights to suspend an agreement because of a violation of human rights. The EU has acted in previous situations, in particular in regard to Sri Lanka where the GSP plus arrangement was suspended because of violation of human rights issues. Also an investigation was undertaken in regard to El Salvador in terms of its non-compliance with ILO conditions.

See this speech in context