Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the human rights situation within Cuba; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39511/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland, along with our EU partners, continues to urge the Cuban authorities to bring about rapid, lasting and substantial improvements in ensuring the full respect for all human rights. The European Union's 1996 Common Position is a central element in Ireland's relations with Cuba. The General Affairs and External Relations Council, in its most recent evaluation of the Common Position in June 2006, expressed serious concern at the ongoing large-scale violation of human rights in Cuba. In particular, the Council strongly condemned the trial and continuing detention of a large number of prisoners of conscience, including those arrested during a crackdown by the Cuban authorities in March and April 2003. The Council called on Cuba to release immediately all those detained for political reasons. The Council reiterated that constructive engagement remained the basis of EU policy towards Cuba, emphasising the importance which the Union attached to dialogue in order to produce tangible results. The Council also expressed its continued preparedness to provide EU co-operation to Cuba in areas that promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Ireland fully concurred in the Council's consensus on these issues.

I would again urge the Cuban Government to release all prisoners of conscience and to respect internationally acknowledged principles and practices in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the information which he has with regard to the ongoing allegations of organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China; if he and Department officials have raised this matter, and the more general matter of persecution of Falun Gong practitioners recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39550/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As set out in previous PQ replies, most recently on 24 May, I am aware of allegations regarding the harvesting of live organs from Falun Gong practitioners, including as set out in a recent Canadian report by Mr David Matas and Mr David Kilgour on behalf of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of the Falun Gong in China (CIPFG). I view these allegations seriously and enquiries on this issue have been made by the Department within the EU and UN frameworks, as well as through our Embassy in Beijing. Although our enquiries are continuing, no evidence has been found to date to support the allegations contained in the report. However, I understand that one of the authors of the report, Mr David Kilgour, is in Ireland this week, and I have arranged for a senior official from my Department to meet with him to discuss the findings of the report. Without prejudice to the outcome of the above enquiries, 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.

I am also aware of reports of a trade in human organs in China generally. The sale of organs for transplant is illegal in China. The Chinese Government introduced a regulation in July to govern the clinical use of body parts as well as the transplantation of body parts. Reports suggest, however, that an illegal trade in the organs of executed prisoners does exist. Wherever this practice occurs, and whatever the circumstances, the illegal harvesting of, and trafficking in, human organs is a deplorable act. This issue has been raised as part of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, most recently in October 2006. The Chinese authorities state that they are firmly opposed to the illegal trade in human organs for transplant.

Human rights issues are a constant and important point of dialogue with the Chinese authorities at both bilateral and European Union levels. The EU-China Human Rights Dialogue is the agreed formal framework through which the EU raises human rights issues and concerns with China. The latest round of the Dialogue was held in Beijing on 19 October.

Senior officials from both sides discussed a wide range of human rights issues. Special attention was given to questions related to combating racism, freedom of expression and reform of the criminal justice system in China. The EU took note of the commitment of China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as soon as possible and, in that context, to reform its criminal justice system. The EU urged China to continue cooperation with, and implementation of the recommendations of, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, including the rapid abolition of the "re-education through labour" system. The EU expressed its deep concern over the continuing restrictions on freedom of expression in China, including on the use of the internet. The EU further expressed concern at the high number of human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists in prison and urged China not to harass or punish individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression in a peaceful manner.

On a bilateral level, I met with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 12 May during a visit to Beijing. During the 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. Chinese Foreign Minister 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. Most recently, the Tánaiste held official talks on 25 September with visiting Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan in the course of which he also raised human rights issues and concerns.