Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 18 January 2005 with the President, Premier, and Minister of Commerce of China, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24291/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 16 February 2005 with Prime Minister Bethuel Pakalitha Mosislli of the Kingdom of Lesotho, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Lesotho; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24292/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 9 May 2005 with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24293/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 26 September 2006 with Vice Premier Zeng of China, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24294/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 7 December 2006 with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Egypt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24295/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 16 January 2007 with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24296/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 15 January 2008 with President Kikwete and Prime Minister Lowassa of Tanzania, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Tanzania; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24297/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 18 February 2008 with Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24298/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, during An Taoiseach's meeting of 10 March 2008 with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam, he raised concerns relating to the human rights situation in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24299/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 to 220, inclusive, together.

Human rights are, and have always been, a priority of successive Governments and central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, the Government monitors the human rights situations in many countries, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including non-governmental organisations. Where the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about human rights violations to the Governments in question, either bilaterally, including in high-level meetings, through the EU which has an active human rights dialogue with many countries, or through action at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council.

While I did not hold the office of Minister for Foreign Affairs on the dates in question, I can confirm that a broad range of international issues including human rights matters was discussed at the meetings between the former Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, T.D., and the Heads of State and Government and other office-holders referred to in the Deputy's Questions.