Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not disputing the awfulness of what happened, the number of people who were killed or the suffering involved. What I am saying is that whether it is legally categorised as a genocide is in dispute. That is the only dispute here. In fact, in 2015 the issue was debated at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, when Senator Mark Daly put forward the proposal that the joint committee recognise the suffering and loss of the Armenian people in the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The motion was defeated by eight to five. It is not as if we have not debated this issue. Of course I am aware of an ongoing lobby on this issue, but I think I have stated repeatedly the basis on which we will make a decision on this, that is, the legal understanding and court rulings concerning the matter.

See this speech in context