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

My Department examines this question on a regular basis. What we see from the available data is that there continues to be no consensus and little clarity on this. The tragedy of the Armenian people was recognised as genocide by parliaments of over 20 countries, including 16 EU member state legislatures and by the European Parliament but recognition at the level of government amounts to a much smaller number. As I mentioned in my reply, the Department's briefing notes on this are simply about trying to be consistent. When we are assessing something as serious as genocide at an international level, we have to apply a methodology in terms of how we make that assessment. That methodology at the moment is based on Ireland following a practice of recognising genocide only where it has been established by a judgment of an international court or where there is international consensus on the matter. That said, I take on board what members have said.

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