Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he had at the United Nations Human Rights Council taking place in March 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10293/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The UN Human Rights Council is holding its seventh regular session this month in Geneva. The session, which began on Monday 3 March, will run until 28 March. The seventh session began with a high level segment which included statements by the President of the Council, Doru Costea, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour. The opening statements were followed by statements from over 20 high level representatives from Member States' delegations. Many delegations spoke of their support for the Council and drew attention to the newly established Universal Periodic Review mechanism, which is scheduled to proceed in April. A number of delegations also raised their concern over the human rights situation in certain countries which will come under the focus of the Council during this session, such as, Burma/Myanmar, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

The Council faces a heavy agenda for this session. Discussion began last week on draft resolutions on issues such as; violence against women, torture, sale of children and human rights defenders. On Friday, a resolution on human rights violations emanating from Israeli military attacks and incursions in Gaza was adopted. This week, the Council will receive reports on country specific situations from the relevant Special Rapporteurs. There will be a review of the mandates of 11 Special Procedures and new mandate holders will be appointed in many cases. Ireland will take particular interest in a number of these, including the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of Human Rights Defenders.

The EU will be presenting initiatives to extend the mandates of the special rapporteurs for Burma/Myanmar and for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and will also work to extend the technical cooperation and assistance mandate for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the mandate for the independent expert for Somalia. Ireland, along with our EU partners, remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in Sudan. There will be an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Sudan on 12 March, following which the EU will decide on the most appropriate follow up, possibly in the form of a resolution.

This session will also see the election of members to the new Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, which replaces the former Sub-Commission on Human Rights. Ireland will continue to support the work of the Human Rights Council. The Council is a vital body for addressing thematic and urgent country-specific situations promptly and effectively and the success of the current session will be important in proving the credibility of the Council.