Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the rationale behind the decision to donate €390,000 to the demobilisation process in Colombia; and the way in which he envisaged this money would move the peace process forward. [37133/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As set out in previous replies to parliamentary questions, most recently on 10 November 2005, the Government, together with its EU partners, is broadly supportive of the efforts of the Colombian Government to develop a peace process in that country. In that context, the European Union has consistently stressed the need for a negotiated peace settlement in Colombia and has called for illegal armed groups to demobilise.

Ireland has committed €390,000 over a three-year period to the Organisation of American States', OAS, peace and verification mission in Colombia. The mandate of the OAS mission in Colombia is to provide comprehensive support to the peace process, with a focus both on demobilisation and on strengthening institutions concerned with the rule of law. The grant was made in response to a request from the OAS to EU member states. It fits in with Ireland's strong commitment to the promotion of human rights and democratisation in Latin America. The EU has also welcomed the involvement of the OAS in supporting the demobilisation of paramilitary groups.

Among our EU colleagues, the Netherlands and Sweden also fund this mission and Ireland will work closely with them, in addition to ensuring that the mission maximises its role in the peace process.