Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 35 and 97 together.

I thank Deputy Smith, as I did Deputy Ó Laoghaire, for raising this matter consistently. It is going to be a very important debate this afternoon. The Government remains deeply concerned by the devastating conflict in Sudan, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian and protection crisis. More than 150,000 people have already been killed, some 12 million are forcibly displaced and over 21 million people face crisis levels of hunger, including famine. This is a man-made famine. I am appalled by the targeting of civilians by all parties to the conflict. I condemn the atrocities committed in El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, and the escalating violence in North Darfur. Large-scale, ethnically motivated atrocities, including summary executions, sexual and gender-based violence and the detention of civilians are part of a widespread pattern, including the use of rape and starvation as weapons of war.

These actions are unconscionable and must stop. There must be accountability and justice for such atrocities. Ireland, together with Germany, the UK, Netherlands and Norway, succeeded in ensuring the adoption of a resolution on the situation in El Fasher at a special session of the Human Rights Council on 14 November. The resolution requests the independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan to conduct an urgent inquiry into the violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law committed in and around El Fasher. The environment of impunity in Sudan simply must end.

Ireland has taken a leading role within the EU on the establishment of the EU sanctions regime. The EU Foreign Affairs Council in October adopted Council conclusions strongly condemning the ongoing conflict. Ireland successfully called for Sudan to be placed on the agenda at this month’s EU Foreign Affairs Council, which adopted restrictive measures against a senior RSF commander.

The international community needs to exert greater pressure on the parties to return to the negotiating table and to engage in dialogue. I welcome the ongoing work of the Quad, including efforts to negotiate a three-month humanitarian truce. It is vital that there is substantive political engagement and co-ordination between the European Union, the African Union, the Quad and other international and national actors on de-escalation and mediation efforts. We will continue to work internationally with our EU and other partners to call on all parties to adhere to their obligations to protect civilians and aid workers, and to ensure immediate, unconditional and unhindered humanitarian access in full compliance with international humanitarian law.

In June, I signed a joint statement by 30 donor countries condemning attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers. I also joined an Australian-led declaration for the protection of humanitarian workers at the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Ireland has provided €14.3 million in humanitarian assistance so far in 2025 to support people most in need in Sudan and those displaced in neighbouring countries. This assistance is channelled through trusted UN, Red Cross, Irish NGO and local partners to provide life-saving aid. We are committed to further increasing our assistance in 2026.

Ultimately, an agreement on a cessation of hostilities must be reached in order to end the suffering of the Sudanese people. This must be followed by a negotiated, permanent, peaceful and civilian-led political settlement that respects the territorial integrity of Sudan.

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