Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the existence of a positive human rights obligation of peace keeping forces to protect civilian populations; and his further views on the necessity for reference to international human rights law in Security Council Resolutions and on its omission in certain cases. [23517/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As we celebrate fifty years of involvement by the Defence Forces in UN-authorised peace support operations, it is worth recalling that the promotion of human rights and the protection of civilian populations has always been central to that involvement.

I am advised by my colleague the Minister for Defence, Mr. Willie O'Dea TD, that all members of the Defence Forces assigned to peacekeeping duties overseas are briefed on relevant international human rights law and the Law of Armed Conflict. Courses on human rights are conducted on a regular basis at the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh.

The protection of the human rights of refugees and internally displaced people in Chad and the Central African Republic is a key element of the current UN-authorised EU military mission, EUFOR Tchad/RCA, to which Ireland is contributing a substantial contingent and which is under the overall operational command of Lieutenant General Pat Nash of the Defence Forces.

One of the purposes of the United Nations, as set out in article 1 of the UN Charter, is to promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. Each Security Council Resolution relating to a UN authorised peace support operation is drafted and adopted in light of the specific circumstances involved. In certain cases, international human rights law may be specifically referred to in Security Council resolutions and thereby complement the existing obligations of States under human rights treaties. However I am advised that the absence of such a reference does not in itself undermine human rights protection and Ireland is certainly totally committed to maintaining such protection in all peace support operations.