Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during his discussions with US Administration officials while in the USA recently, the case of Salim Ahmed Hamdan arose; and his views and the view of the Government regarding this case which, it is claimed, illustrates the US Administration's flaunting of basic military protection in setting up tribunals dealing with suspected Al-Qaeda suspects. [13106/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach raised our concerns regarding Guantanamo Bay at his meeting with President Bush in Washington on 17 March 2006, which I also attended. President Bush said that he fully understood the Taoiseach's concerns and that he would also like to close the detention facility when possible. The President also noted that his Administration was awaiting a ruling by the US Supreme Court on the use of army tribunals to try detainees in Guantanamo. I understand that the case referred to was Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which came before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 28 March 2006 and which challenges the legality of President Bush's 2001 military order establishing military commissions to try terrorist suspects. The Supreme Court's decision is expected in July 2006.

The Government has raised the issue of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay with the US authorities on numerous other occasions. We believe that those detained in Guantanamo must be treated in accordance with the requirements of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. This position is shared by the EU as a whole. I have also made it clear that I fully endorse the UN Secretary General's view that those held in Guantanamo Bay should either be charged or released, and that the US should close this facility. While we continue to press for the closure of the Guantanamo facility and for respect for the principles of international law, the legality of the 2001 military order under US law is a matter for the US courts to determine.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent presidential election in Belarus with particular reference to the violence and intimidation towards the political opposition which preceded it, the jailing of the opposition leader, and the treatment of protestors by the police forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13112/06]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions which have been held at European Union level with regard to the recent elections in Belarus, widely thought to have been rigged; and the sanctions the EU may impose upon the Administration of that country in this light and in the view of ongoing practices such as this since the assuming of power by the current president over ten years ago. [13113/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts with regard to the sanctions which will be imposed against the regime in Belarus due to the jailing of democratic protestors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13038/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations the Government has made to the Government in Belarus regarding human rights violations in that country, including the jailing of political opponents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13168/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 95, 144 and 281 together.

In its declaration of 24 March the European Council stated: "On a continent of open and democratic societies, Belarus is a sad exception". Ireland and the European Union deplore the long-standing failure of the Belorussian authorities to meet their OSCE commitments to democratic elections. In light of the findings of the OSCE-ODIHR international election observation mission, we view the presidential elections of 19 March as fundamentally flawed.

The EU has repeatedly made clear that if the Belarus authorities were to reverse their policies and embark on fundamental democratic and economic reforms, their country could have the benefit of closer economic integration and political co-operation with the EU under the European neighbourhood policy. I sincerely regret that the presidential elections have not advanced this prospect and that the opportunity they offered to the people of Belarus has once again been missed.

Ireland and our EU and international partners are watching developments closely. The arrest and sentencing of Belorussian citizens and others who peacefully exercised their right of assembly and freedom of expression to protest the flawed election results shows the disregard of the Belorussian leadership for civil and political rights. I repeat the demand of the European Council for the immediate release of all those detained. I call on the Belarus authorities to refrain from further harassment or intimidation of those who, in the context of the presidential election, used peaceful means to try to develop civil society and advance democracy in Belarus. The European Council welcomed the message of hope brought by the democratic opposition and civil society and it reiterated the commitment of the European Union to engage with Belorussian society by further strengthening its support for civil society and for democratisation. I fully endorse this approach and will ensure that Ireland plays its part in working with partners to promote the process of democratic change. The people of Belarus must not be isolated from Europe by the policy of their leaders. It will be important therefore to intensify people-to-people contacts and to try to enhance access to independent sources of information.

The Irish Government's long-standing concern about the human rights situation in Belarus is well known to the Belarus authorities. It is communicated mainly through EU channels but also bilaterally by the Irish embassy in Moscow, which is accredited to Belarus, and in diplomatic contacts with the Embassy of Belarus in London. Ireland supported strongly the series of declarations on Belarus made by the EU before and since the presidential elections.

The European Council on 24 March decided to take restrictive measures against those responsible for the violations of international electoral standards, including President Lukashenko. Intensive work is under way and the Presidency hopes that a first measure, in the form of an expanded visa ban list, can be adopted at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 10 April. Ireland is working to ensure that the EU response is targeted and proportionate. It must be directed against the responsible authorities, not against the ordinary people of Belarus. It must also be adaptable in light of future actions by the Belarus authorities, positive as well as negative.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions or exchanges of views which he has had in recent times with representatives of the People's Republic of China in relation to human rights in general, in the context of their signing of a number of international instruments in relation to human rights, and in particular the repeated reports of oppression against practitioners of Falun Gong. [13125/06]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to recent reports of further atrocities directed against Falun Gong practitioners in China; if, in particular, he has had examined the information suggested in a website (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13124/06]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the information he has received regarding a reported concentration camp in Shenyang City, Liaoning province in China where, reportedly, 6,000 Falun Gong practitioners are detained (details supplied); the help the Government will offer in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13132/06]

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to reports emanating from China regarding the suppression of Falun Dafa, including the existence of the Sujiatun concentration camp, the execution of prisoners and the harvesting of their organs; if he has raised this issue at Government, European Union and at United Nations level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13077/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 100, 115 and 280 together.

I am aware of reports that are circulating on the issues raised. As I stated in response to a written question on this issue on 29 March, I am unable at present to confirm the reliability of these reports. I have asked my Department, in particular through the embassy in Beijing, to look into the situation as a matter of urgency and to report back to me. We are also making inquiries within the EU framework. Without prejudice to the outcome of the above inquiries, Ireland and the EU remain concerned about the situation of Falun Gong practitioners in China and have raised our concerns with the Chinese Government on many occasions.

Human rights issues are a constant and important point of dialogue with the Chinese authorities at both bilateral and European Union level. In our bilateral exchanges, human rights concerns were raised most recently with the Chinese Government during the visit of the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, to China for St. Patrick's Day last month. At EU level, the EU-China human rights dialogue is the agreed formal framework through which the EU raises its concerns with China about individual human rights cases and more general issues such as freedom of expression and the abolition of the death penalty.

At the latest round of the human rights dialogue, held in Beijing on 24 October 2005, the EU raised, inter alia, the right to freedom of religion and the need for reform of the administrative detention system, including the associated re-education through labour, RTL, camps. The EU expressed particular concern in this regard for Falun Gong members and stated that reform of the RTL system is an issue of fundamental importance for the EU in the human rights dialogue. A number of Falun Gong practitioners were also included in the EU's list of individual cases of concern which was submitted to the Chinese authorities during the dialogue. The next round of the dialogue will take place in Vienna in May.