Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he or his colleagues in the European Union are concerned or intend making a statement on the widespread concern by Human Rights Organisations and Human Rights Watch in particular over Colombian President Uribe's interference in the Supreme Courts investigation into links between politicians and paramilitaries, and what they suggest are his repeated attacks on the Court itself and which constitute a threat to judicial independence. [24986/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Together with our European Union partners, Ireland is closely monitoring developments in regard to Supreme Court investigations in connection with the alleged association of members of Congress and Government officials with paramilitary groups in Colombia. Any association between elected representatives and officials and paramilitary groups is a matter of serious concern in itself, and also has the capacity further to destabilise the Colombian peace process, the success of which is essential for that country's future development. The question of how the European Union can most effectively influence developments in a positive direction is kept under careful review. Any interference with judicial independence would clearly be a matter of the most serious concern.