Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has raised with the Chinese authorities the concerns which exist with regard to the treatment of Falun Gong members in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19538/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Human rights issues are a constant and important point of dialogue with the Chinese Authorities at both bilateral and European Union levels.

On a bilateral level, I met with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 12 May during my recent visit to Beijing. During our meeting, I had the opportunity to raise human rights issues and concerns, including the importance we attach to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. I expressed the hope that the new UN Human Rights Council (HRC), to which China has been elected as a member, will give the international community the chance to develop a more productive way of working together to improve standards everywhere. It is important to Ireland that the HRC is a success and we look forward to the constructive engagement of all its members. FM Li referred in particular to China's commitment to the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue and was hopeful that a decision would be taken to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as soon as possible.

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.

The next round of the Dialogue will take place in Vienna later this week, from 25-26 May. A number of Falun Gong cases are included on the EU's list of individual cases of concern which has been submitted to the Chinese Authorities in the context of the Dialogue. EU concerns regarding use of the death penalty, the right to freedom of religion and the need for reform of the administrative detention system will be among the issues raised with the Chinese side during the Dialogue.

I am aware of reports which circulated in recent months alleging the harvesting of live organs from Falun Gong practitioners jailed in Shenyang in Northeast China. I asked my Department to make enquiries about these allegations, including within the EU and UN frameworks. We do not have any information, at this point, to support these specific allegations. In this regard, I would note a U.S. Department of State statement last month that its Embassy and Consular officials visited the specific site mentioned on two separate occasions, were allowed to tour the entire facility and grounds and found no evidence that the site is being used for any function other than as a normal public hospital.