Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing us to raise this and I thank Deputy Crowe. This is a very controversial piece of legislation. It does not respect the human rights of any person irrespective of their sexuality, particularly the LGBT community in Uganda. Putting aside Africa's views of homosexuality, its religion and ethos, we must examine the human rights perspective. If this Government is serious about the pursuit of human rights, the Bill must be taken up by the Government at whatever level it can be. We are criminalising people who are gay. To quote the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, it is "atrocious". It is driving people underground, further stigmatising gay people and increasing risk-taking behaviour. It is making Ugandan citizens vulnerable. It is inexplicable that a president can do this.

I heard Deputy Crowe. At the Committee of Public Accounts meeting today the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. David Cooney, said it would not be appropriate to cut Irish Aid to Uganda over its anti-gay laws. Part of me agrees with him because it would be penalising people, which we should not do, but this Bill needs to be taken up through us as a parliament with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, the EU or the UN. It is focusing on discrimination and is completely anti-human rights. Even allowing for the argument about aid, which I do not want to pursue, I hope our Government will pursue this at the highest level.

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