Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if restrictions on trade are being placed on imports, where it is known that such goods are produced through child labour. [6397/07]

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Irish trade is regulated in accordance with the Common Commercial Policy rules of the European Union, which encourage an open market approach to trade. Accordingly, Ireland cannot impose restrictions that are outside the Common Commercial Policy rules.

The EU has a long-standing commitment to the promotion of core labour standards and social development; the charter of fundamental rights of the EU confirms the aim to fully integrate these standards in all its policies and actions. In line with that policy, cooperation agreements between the EU and other countries include, as a matter of course, human rights and core labour standard clauses as set out in International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. The abolition of child labour is one of those ILO core labour standards.

The EU also uses its trade policy mechanisms to encourage other countries to improve standards by offering additional preferential access dependant on adherence to ILO conventions. Furthermore, within the World Trade Organisation, the EU, with our support, has been pursuing improved international regulation in the area of trade and labour standards.

Ireland has consistently supported the International Labour Organisation in its efforts to promote core labour standards. In 1998, we supported the adoption by the ILO of a Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This commits the ILO's 175 member states worldwide to respect the principles inherent in the core labour standards and to promote their universal application. Ireland has ratified all eight core labour standards, including those addressing the abolition of forced or compulsory labour and child labour.