Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)

I will try my best with ten minutes but I might ask for a little bit of latitude from the House, given that we are ahead of schedule. A number of pertinent issues were raised by Deputies and by the Acting Chair that I will try to address. I want to address a couple of points raised by Deputies who are still in the Chamber as I think they merit the response. A lot of what Deputy Boyd Barrett raised stuck with me. I want to provide an element of reassurance on how we approach our work in this region from the Irish Government point of view and from an Irish Aid point of view. We have a development programme that is based on values. We have a development programme that is flexible, local led and is enshrined by our document. There is a shift, quite clearly, at a European level by other member states to move to a far more transactional approach to development, similar to the lines historically and in other ways the Deputy referred to. I want to assure him that Ireland is going to make sure that our development programme maintains a very clear path and, equally, we are going to be a very strong voice within the European Union for a values-based development programme that reaches the furthest behind first and that seeks peace, democracy and local empowerment.

I appreciate that Deputies Heneghan and Shane Moynihan have regularly raised this issue, particularly in oral parliamentary questions, along with Deputy Ó Laoghaire, with whom I had a lengthy debate on this issue this morning. I want to assure the Deputies that the Irish Government will continue to raise this issue at every European and United Nations forum.

I would say to Deputy Nolan that everyone in Sudan is persecuted or is liable to be persecuted at the moment. I note the point the Deputy makes in relation to Christians. I met the Church in Chains organisation in a personal capacity in my parish a couple of Sundays ago and I had a lengthy discussion with its director. I am more than happy to discuss the persecution of any minority in any jurisdiction in this Chamber. If the Deputy would like to put forward a debate on the persecution of Christians, I would be more than happy to provide a full response from a Government point of view. We had a similar debate in the Seanad this morning. Senators Mullen and McCarthy raised it in relation to a very worrying attack on an Irish missionary nun and her congregation in Nigeria two weeks ago. Perhaps the Deputy might consider putting forward a Topical Issue matter or seeking a debate. I thank the Acting Chair for her indulgence.

It has been more than two years since the war in Sudan erupted. We are all agreed that the need for international attention and action is more critical now than ever. I want to thank everyone present for their engagement on this important issue and encourage them all to continue to highlight the plight of the Sudanese people wherever possible in this Chamber, in the other Chamber, at local authority level, within party groupings, within European party collectives and beyond. Our collective commitment as a Parliament is vital in this regard. We cannot let this tragedy fade from the international headlines until yet another massacre like that in El Fasher forces the conflict back onto the agenda or into our timelines.

The humanitarian displacement and protection crisis in Sudan is catastrophic in scale. As has been highlighted here today, the level of suffering is beyond measure and it is difficult to imagine or capture. I will attempt to put it starkly. The number of ordinary people experiencing crisis levels of hunger in Sudan is four times larger than the population of Ireland. Those who are currently displaced due to the conflict represent more than twice the population of Ireland. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has rightly emphasised that these figures are not just statistics. Behind every number is a person, a family, a community whose lives have been shattered by this war. Many of us represent the Sudanese diaspora in our constituencies and who are living in the horror that it is their family that they are waiting on news from.

I am particularly concerned that women and children are bearing the brunt of this crisis, including 12 million at risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Rape is being used as a weapon of war on a daily basis in Sudan. These numbers and each individual story represent the devastating social and economic costs of conflict, the deliberate targeting of civilians, the obstruction of humanitarian assistance and the constriction of the humanitarian space by the parties to the conflict. They have demonstrated a blatant and outrageous disregard for international human rights and humanitarian norms and obligations. In their blood struggle for power the parties to the conflict have imposed a preventable and man-made crisis on the population. This is a man-made famine. The parties to the conflict are responsible for large-scale attacks on civilians, described by the UN as amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, as I said, including using starvation and sexual and gender-based violence as weapons of war.

We cannot omit the significant role that external actors have played, including in the provision of military and other forms of support to the parties in the conflict, as Deputy Ó Laoghaire and I discussed this morning. I have heard the views of the Deputies in this debate and this morning very clearly. The actions of other states have prolonged the conflict and have fuelled further violence. Too many states are providing arms to the parties and sponsoring fighters from outside Sudan. We will continue to make clear in our multilateral and bilateral engagements that external interference must end and that every available diplomatic lever is utilised to bring the parties to the negotiating table with a view to ending this devastating conflict.

The world in which we find ourselves today is growing ever more complex, more fraught and at times more fragile. Around the globe we are witnessing an increasing number of conflicts, yet, despite this difficult landscape, Ireland remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing the world's most pressing issues through a strong multilateral system and a rules-based international order. Our approach is people-centred, with a firm commitment to human rights and humanitarian assistance for those most in need. To this end, in June, I signed a joint statement by 30 donor countries condemning attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers. I also joined an Australia-led declaration for the protection of humanitarian workers at the UN General Assembly in New York, where I signed it last September. We will uphold these core values and continue to pursue a multilateral approach.

To this end, Ireland will continue to call for greater attention on the conflict in Sudan, ensuring it remains on the international agenda; continue to leverage multilateral bilateral forums, particularly at the EU and the UN, to highlight the urgent humanitarian protection crisis; provide ongoing support to accountability mechanisms for international human rights and humanitarian abuses and violations; continue to provide funding for humanitarian assistance in response to the Sudan crisis - we will increase our funding in 2026; support de-escalation and mediation efforts together with our EU partners, ensuring there is substantive engagement and co-ordination between the various international regional and state actors involved; and advocate for a political process that is inclusive and civilian-led and support efforts such as by the African Union that encourage civilian engagement and dialogue.

While I welcome efforts by the international community to bring pressure to bear on the parties to engage in dialogue and agree to a cessation of hostilities, it is equally critical that we address these immediate and urgent priorities, regardless of the progression of these mediation efforts. Therefore, Ireland will continue to engage with our EU partners on the effective implementation of the humanitarian aspects of the Council's conclusions.

Accountability and justice remain core tenets of our support. We will continue to offer our unwavering support for international accountability mechanisms, such as the fact-finding mission and the International Criminal Court. We will continue to actively engage with the UN Human Rights Council on this issue. This includes supporting all efforts to thoroughly document, investigate and effectively address these grave concerns. Considering the scale of atrocities committed and the environment of impunity, it is vital that perpetrators are ultimately held accountable and brought to justice.

In a world where conflict and displacement are a daily reality for millions of people, and at a time when official development assistance is being reduced globally, I am proud that Ireland continues to increase its investment in development and humanitarian assistance. Even in such trying times, there are always opportunities to save lives and reach the furthest behind first. Our humanitarian funding is flexible and predictable, enabling partners to respond quickly to sudden and evolving needs. In 2026, we are committed to maintaining a needs-based approach with a focus on the most severe and forgotten crises, and we are firmly committed to increasing our funding to Sudan.

The international community must do more to exert greater pressure on the parties to return to the negotiating table and to engage in dialogue. Crucially, there must be substantive political engagement and co-ordination between the EU, the AU and the Quad and other international and national actors on de-escalation and mediation efforts.

In terms of the peace process, we cannot allow the exclusion of the Sudanese people to occur. When the fighting ends, it is often women who step forward to reconcile, to organise and to restore hope. Civil society actors and local humanitarian workers are vital throughout all stages of conflict, before, during and after. Recognising this, Ireland will continue to call for any negotiated political settlement to be permanent, peaceful, inclusive, civilian-led and one which respects the territorial integrity and unity of Sudan.

Looking to the longer term, we will stand ready to support the Sudanese people in their post-conflict recovery. There will be immense humanitarian and development needs. Fragile state institutions will need to be created and strengthened and the nation's economy and infrastructure rebuilt. Crucially, the social fabric must be repaired and a process of reconciliation initiated. This will be difficult, but it is essential. Sustainable peace depends on these efforts.

In conclusion, Ireland remains steadfast in its commitment to keeping this crisis on the international agenda and urging immediate meaningful action from all regional and international partners and actors. We remain sharply focused on our immediate priorities. Civilians must be protected, with urgent attention paid to safe passage for those fleeing violence and to the protection of women and girls, who remain at grave risk of sexual and gender-based violence. The protection of front-line humanitarian actors and local responders must be guaranteed in line with international law. This year is the most dangerous year in history for humanitarian workers. Between this conflict and the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, more humanitarian workers have been killed than ever before. It is not acceptable and we, the global community, must intensify our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to bring these conflicts to an end, but also to protect humanitarian workers. I sincerely thank the Chamber for the range of Members' contributions this afternoon and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for her latitude.

See this speech in context