Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of recent reports of alleged police-led human rights abuses against African Americans in the US and the extensive public concern created by those allegations. These concerns, and the need to address them, have been acknowledged by the US authorities at the highest level. President Obama stated in an address to the US people in November, following the decision of the grand jury in the Michael Brown case:

The fact is, in too many parts of this country, a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of colour. Some of this is the result of the legacy of racial discrimination in this country. ... The good news is we know there are things we can do to help. And I’ve instructed Attorney General Holder to work with cities across the country to help build better relations between communities and law enforcement.

The US authorities at the federal, state and municipal level, and a range of widely respected US human rights and law reform NGOs, are seized of these cases and the broader issues they raise, and there is extensive and detailed reporting of these controversies in the media. As I mentioned, President Obama and the Attorney General, Eric Holder, have taken initiatives to address some of the broader societal issues, as well as to address the specific recent cases. In the most recent case in South Carolina, the police officer involved has been charged with murder. The US has a robust democracy and a respected legal system, and I expect it will continue to deal with such cases in an open and transparent way.

I am very conscious that people in all parts of the world continue to suffer discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, descent, nationality or ethnic origin. Ireland is firmly committed to the principle of non-discrimination and is a party to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. I therefore fully support President Obama and his Administration's efforts to address the concerns raised by these recent incidents and to build improved relations and trust between US law enforcement and all communities around the US.

See this speech in context