Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

There is a mistake in the question, which refers to President Santos. As the Tánaiste correctly pointed out, it was a Vice President Garzón. I met him in person and I thank the Tánaiste for clarifying that.

I met a former trade unionist yesterday in the House. He is from Colombia but is now a refugee in Europe. He expressed concern about the harrowing history of murders of trade union leaders. Colombia has one of the worst, if not the worst, records in the world. His concern is that, as civil society starts to organise itself through trade union movements, women's movements and rural peasant movements, they will not be allowed to make their protest peacefully and develop and articulate their sense of injustice.

The Tánaiste and the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, have pointed out that Ireland inserted a human rights clause into the free trade agreement, which is heavily opposed by the trade union movement in Europe because of concerns that it is premature. Colombia has a long way to go in demonstrating its bona fides on human rights and the protection of rural landowners from pillaging of their matter resources by multinationals. This has been the case in Colombia and Peru. Will the Tánaiste give the House an assurance that, as the Government intends to proceed with the agreement and has inserted a human rights clause, he will lead from the front if there is any attempt to undermine a civil society movement or peaceful opposition by people in the country?

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