Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is correct. Trade missions are to deal with trade but there are many avenues where the Irish Government takes a very strong line in regard to human rights issues. The situation is that we bring companies with us on trade missions which then seek to open up opportunities to trade. In the past four years, such measures and missions have opened up a net 40,000 extra people at work in exporting companies. A key focus is to grow in markets which offer opportunities, and these include areas like the Gulf region. It is clear we have to work on that and get companies to establish business-to-business links, encourage investment and encourage companies to form a base and grow in these markets that have growth prospects. Some 90% of the growth in trade is going to be outside of the European Union, so we are going to have to trade in Asia, the Gulf and in many countries, and Ireland has an interest in growing that.

Ireland has also been at the forefront internationally in raising human rights issues through bilateral contacts, especially through the European Union and the United Nations. We have never shied away from addressing these issues. We will continue to be a strong advocate for higher global standards that improve human rights and encourage the highest standards of business conduct and corporate social responsibility.

During the last trade mission I led to the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia, in April of this year, Irish companies from a wide range of sectors concluded deals and created jobs in Ireland. They prospected with potential buyers and developed relationships with key sectors, including aviation, water technologies, financial technologies, support to various programmes and so on. These are important opportunities we need to develop.

Ireland is an active member of the EU human rights group in Riyadh which co-ordinates EU policy on human rights issues and progresses implementation of the EU’s human rights country strategy for Saudi Arabia.

See this speech in context