Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 100: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to attend the Euro 2012 Championships in Poland and Ukraine in view of the recently published treatment of imprisoned former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25421/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I anticipate there will be political representation at Ireland's Euro 2012 group stage matches, all of which take place in Poland. As regards Ukraine, the European Union had made its concerns known to the authorities there about politically motivated trials and the conditions of detention of Ms. Tymoshenko. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, has called on the Ukrainian authorities to ensure her right to appropriate medical assistance. I fully support that call. I discussed Ukraine with my EU Foreign Minister colleagues in Brussels on 14 May and we agreed that further progress on the EU's association agreement with Ukraine would require a number of positive steps on the resolution of the issue of politically motivated trials, including Ms. Tymoshenko's detention, and the free and fair conduct of the parliamentary elections due to take place in October.

On the issue of attending matches in Ukraine, there is no common EU position. A number of political figures have made it known that they do not intend to visit Ukraine while Ms. Tymoshenko is imprisoned or will not attend matches in Ukraine during the championships. An alternative view has been expressed that a sports boycott would not be an effective tool of persuasion or could send an unintended signal to the wider Ukrainian public. Individual member states will need to assess this question for themselves.

For my own part, I have no official travel plans that would entail attendance at a match in Ukraine during the championships. However, I cannot at this time rule out a visit to Ukraine at some point this year, including in my separate capacity as chairman-in-office of the OSCE as this is a forum in which Ukraine plays an important role and it will assume the chairmanship-in-office next year.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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We hope the dilemma the Tánaiste faces is whether to go to Kiev. We all hope there will be an Irish match in that location. We also appreciate the general public desire to see a separation of politics and sport. It is not a great idea for politics to intrude onto the field of sport. Notwithstanding that, the circumstances surrounding the case of Julia Tymoshenko, which have been highlighted internationally, are so fundamentally wrong and concerning that one must ask what is the plight of the ordinary citizens who fall foul of the justice system in the country, if a state can treat a former Prime Minister in this way, where she is held in a hospital ward with guards in the ward and television cameras monitoring her constantly. We hope Ireland will be playing in Kiev. If that situation arises, can the Tánaiste give us an understanding of his position and whether he will have discussions with our honorary consul and our diplomatic representatives in order to give them guidance on their position?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The detention and trial of Ms Tymoshenko has given rise to considerable concern about the conditions of her detention. She was sentenced on 11 October 2011 to seven years in prison and was the subject of a three-year ban on holding high public office. She was also subject to an order to repay €130 million to the state-owned gas company, having been convicted of exceeding her authority as Prime Minister when concluding a gas deal with Russia in 2009. I do not have any plans to travel to the Ukraine to attend any of the football games. We are making arrangements for consular services to be provided because we expect there will be a significant number of Irish fans travelling to the Ukraine if we qualify from the first round. We are making arrangements to have consular services there to support and to be of assistance to the fans.

We must discuss with the Ukraine issues of a bilateral nature and issues in the context of the chairmanship of the OSCE. At some stage this year it is possible that I may travel to Ukraine to conduct business.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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In the event of the Tánaiste travelling in the course of 2012, does he anticipate seeking an opportunity to visit the prisoner to see for himself the circumstances in which she exists? Will the Tánaiste instruct our consular or diplomatic representatives to meet the former president and discuss her plight?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There has already been an international visit to Ms Tymoshenko and we have relayed the deep concerns of the Irish Government in Kiev and in Dublin. We will continue to do that. The issue of concern with regard to the Ukraine at the EU Foreign Affairs Council was not solely Ms Tymoshenko but also the conduct of the elections to be held in October and this must be taken into account.