Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies O'Keeffe, Michael Collins and Mattie McGrath for raising this important issue. Let me reiterate in the strongest possible terms that Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who the victims are or might be. We attach great importance to combatting all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief and all forms of incitement to religious hatred. We firmly believe in the matter of tolerance, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and freedom of belief. Ireland consistently raises the issue of intolerance and unequal treatment at the UN Human Rights Council during the council's universal periodic review of the United Nations' member states.

I acknowledge what Deputy McGrath said on the matter of the United Nations. I note that Ireland also consistently raises this issue at meetings of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, and on a continuous basis in meetings and engagements of the Council of Europe. The promotion of inclusive societies in which the human rights of all individuals are respected is a core objective of our engagement. It is a core cornerstone of foreign policy to promote issues such as the freedom expression, the freedom of religion and the freedom of belief.

During our recent Presidency of the Council of Ministers in 2013, Ireland played a key role in the development and adoption of EU guidelines on the freedom of religion and belief. These guidelines provide a framework for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief in the EU's external human rights policy. Later, in 2015, Ireland pressed for the inclusion of the promotion of freedom of religion or belief in the EU action plan for human rights and democracy, a four-year plan from 2015 to 2019. Let me assure the Deputy that I will continue to raise the voice of the Irish Government, Parliament and people on these important issues. I thank the Deputies for raising this issue, particularly today on Holy Thursday at the start of the most important Christian festival in our calendar.

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