Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Green party, an Comhaontas Glas, is very pleased to support this motion before the House. We commend all movers and sponsors of the motion, including Senator McDowell and all associated with it. It strikes a unified chord in this House. In doing so, I am conscious of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists we have welcomed to this country every year, the very active education tourism, and the growing number of Chinese people who make their home in this country of a thousand welcomes.

The complete and stark opposite is happening in the People's Republic of China. A previous speaker commended The Guardiannewspaper. I would like to commend BBC news for producing what can only be regarded as very strong prima facieevidence that there is systematic and horrendous abuses of human rights in China. Much attention has quite rightly been brought to the situation of the Uighur population in Xinjiang where we have heard of the reports of mass detentions, sterilisation, and the abuse of human rights. As a previous speaker said, if China harbours an aspiration to one day reunify with Taiwan, the only way of doing that is the democratic way. It would make great and much more progress. In Ireland we are at our closest point ever to reunification. This is because the guns have been largely silent in recent times. I am aware it is not an authentic peace but it is a seismic change to what we have been used to. This is because we have enunciated and celebrate the consent principle. It is through the consent principle in Northern Ireland and the consensus that one makes real progress.

I will make one observation about our country, and I would like the Minister of State to respond. We seem at times to have a disproportionate preoccupation with, if not a deference to, trade.Once the word "trade" is mentioned, it seems to the public that principles are traded with economic trade and fundamental principles of human rights seem to take a back seat because people are conscious of trade.

We saw this recently with the disproportionate and provocative response of the Israelis in Palestine when children were slaughtered. We eventually got a motion on that over the line. If I could offer some constructive criticism, we seem to lack urgency in respect of condemning outright what clearly ought to be condemned. As a small nation, we should lead the way in showing people how things can and should be done. This begs questions. We hear all of the time that Ireland has secured membership of the UN Security Council. I have no doubt that Ireland and all of the officials led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs are doing their best but there is an information deficit. With that influence at the very top table, are we any better in respect of tackling the Chinese problem? Can we measure in tangible terms the results of our input? How is the current position different from when we were not on the Security Council in respect condemning China and its horrendous barbaric regime? I am sure work is being done and maybe there is a communications deficit. I have no doubt that the uniquely Irish experience and influence are being brought to bear on the UN but I would like more updates on how we are making an effective, tangible and measured difference.

In many respects, the Senators who moved the motion are preaching to the converted. Can we take the next steps? Should we not seek to visit Taiwan or the Uighur population? We should send a delegation. We should put China under the microscope and under pressure. Diplomacy is the art of speaking so I do not believe in cutting ties. As suggested by a previous speaker, can we take the unprecedented step of inviting the Chinese ambassador to address the Upper House? That would be a marked departure but this is a very serious issue? The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence will do its best but I wonder how the Seanad can make a difficult situation better in a measured and tangible way. Our presence today putting on record all of our concerns is in itself a very important exercise but I seek the next steps. Can the EU agitate more? The EU has let us down sometimes, for example, by not leading the way and waiving patents for vaccines. I ask the Minister of State to kindly reassure us and the Irish people that our input at the UN is being felt at the highest level.