Written answers

Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Department of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Conflicts

8:00 pm

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will advise and support a group (details supplied) in its efforts to break the deadlock in Colombia. [20103/08]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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COMOSOC is a group of Colombian social and political movements including trade unionists, human rights groups, Church groups, indigenous groups, Afro-Colombian social groups and health groups. The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware that Grupo Raíces, a group of Colombian and Latin American residents in Ireland, hosted a delegation from COMOSOC last week. The Irish government supports both the Colombian government and civil society groups in their efforts to bring peace to Colombia. I refer the Deputy to my answer for today to his PQ No. 163 which provides comprehensive information on Irish government support to civil society and regional groups working in Colombia.

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will assist the civil and social society groups in Colombia with their efforts to develop a peace process; and if he will push this agenda at European Union and United Nations level. [20104/08]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish government supports both the Colombian government and civil society groups in their efforts to support the peace process in Colombia. In 2007, Irish Aid provided funding to the sum of €200,000 — the first of three equal yearly instalments — to Children in Crossfire, an NGO working to protect children's rights in Colombia and Brazil. In 2007, Irish Aid also provided €146,400 to Mercy Corps Scotland via Concern Universal for work to protect human rights in Colombia, and will maintain this level of funding in 2008 and 2009. Irish Aid has also provided a total of €1,122,713 to date in 2008 to Trócaire and Christian Aid for projects in Colombia. Both Trócaire and Christian Aid work through local partners in Colombia. Since 2006, Irish Aid has provided about €3.3 million to these organisations for their work in Colombia. Irish Aid also funds Irish Missionaries in Colombia via the Irish Missionary Resource Service. So far in 2008, the IMRS has allocated €41,500 to Colombia.

In addition, Ireland is supporting regional efforts to support the peace process in Colombia. Irish Aid committed €390,000 to the Organisation of American States (OAS) Mission to Support the Peace Process (MAPP) in Colombia in three tranches starting in 2005. This mission has a broad mandate aimed at providing comprehensive support to the peace process, with a focus both on the demobilisation process and on the strengthening of institutions concerning the rule of law. The highest priority is attached to the human rights dimension of the OAS Mission's role. In this regard, Irish Aid provided €177,434 to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights between 2006 and 2007 for the independent monitoring of human rights issues in support of the OAS mission in Colombia. Irish Aid has also provided €50,000 in 2008 to the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression for the OAS, who monitors and defends the right to freedom of expression in Colombia as well as other countries in the Americas.

In conjunction with our European Union partners, the Irish government will continue to examine how we may, as appropriate, contribute further to the peace process in Colombia. While, in discussions at EU level, it has not been considered that current conditions call for UN involvement in bringing peace to Colombia, Ireland would be supportive were the Colombian Government to request such intervention.

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