Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he proposes to initiate or support efforts to declare the EU fishing agreement, which impinges on issues of self-determination for the Saharawi people, as null and void. [29661/10]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the implementation of a UN backed referendum regarding the future of the displaced persons and occupied territory of the Saraha Arab Republic; if he and his colleague Ministers in the EU have discussed this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29653/10]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of his most recent interaction with MINURSO; when further interaction is planned; and the nature of such discussions. [29654/10]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the Saharawi struggle for self-determination and independence; and, in view of this, if he has contacted the United Nations to include the human rights issues in the MINURSCO mandate. [29660/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 65, 81 and 83 together.

Ireland continues to support the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, as well as the continuing engagement of the United Nations in the search for a political solution in the territory based on the principle of self-determination. UN Secretary General Ban's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, is continuing his efforts to convene direct negotiations between the two sides, following the last such discussions held in March 2008.

In an attempt to resume contact this year, Mr. Ross hosted a second round of informal discussions in New York in February following an initial round held in Austria in August 2009, but unfortunately he has had to report that so far there has been no real engagement between the two sides, Morocco and the Polisario, in resolving the outstanding issues. The major issue is Morocco's refusal to allow a Referendum in the territory which would include an option of independence for the people of the Western Sahara. This has been provided for in a number of UN peace plans, and it is difficult to see that there can be any genuine self-determination without such a referendum. Mr. Ross visited the region in the early part of this year, and reported back to the UN Security Council in some detail.

Issues pertaining to the Western Sahara are regularly raised at EU level within the framework of the EU-Morocco dialogue. The most recent EU - Morocco Summit took place in Granada on the 7 March. The EU conveyed its concerns over the situation of Western Sahara as well as the need to safeguard the rights of both Moroccan and Saharawi human rights defenders, and these concerns were reflected in the joint statement after the meeting.

The EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement which was adopted in May 2006 is primarily the responsibility of the Agriculture Council of Ministers. The Agreement is of substantial economic importance to a number of our EU partners. The Agreement relates to Moroccan waters, and while Morocco considers that the Western Sahara and its waters is Moroccan, the EU does not accept this position.

As Morocco controls the territory and their waters, however, there is no practical way to ensure that fishing vessels do not follow the stocks – which move up and down the coast – into Saharan waters.

Ireland and other EU Member States worked to ensure that language was included in the agreement to make clear that it was without prejudice to the EU's position on the status of the Western Sahara, while Ireland also made a National Declaration at the time of adoption reiterating that the agreement was conditional on this.

Three members of the Permanent Defence Forces serve in an observer capacity with the MINURSO mission. Ireland has maintained such a presence with the mission since 1991, when the mission was established under UNSCR 690.

Ireland's Permanent Representation to the United Nations and the Department of Defence monitor and engage, as appropriate, on matters relating to MINURSO on an ongoing basis. Resolution 1920, adopted by the Security Council on 30 April 2010, extended the mandate of MINURSO until 30 April 2011. The Security Council considered a proposal to include human rights monitoring in the mandate of MINURSO, but did not include this in the renewed mandate. The UN Secretary General has reiterated his call that all parties should remain engaged in continuous and constructive dialogue with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with a view to ensuring respect for the human rights of the people of Western Sahara, both inside the Territory and in the refugee camps.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress being made to ban female genital mutilation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29184/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The practice of female genital mutilation is a clear violation of the human rights of women and girls. It has serious social, health and psychological consequences, and it infringes on children's rights to special protection. The World Health Organisation estimates that between 100 million and 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation. In Africa alone, it is estimated that three million girls are at risk annually.

Ireland is playing an active role in global policy development, funding and research to address this appalling practice. We recognise that it is a form of gender-based violence, and that it must be an important element in our comprehensive approach to tackling such violence through the overseas aid programme. The Government's 2006 White Paper on Irish Aid includes a firm commitment that Ireland will build its support for measures focused on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

Irish Aid, the Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs which manages the Government's aid programme, is a founding member of the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, which brings together representatives from Government Departments and Irish development, humanitarian and human rights Non-Governmental Organisations to promote a coordinated response to all forms of gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation.

Internationally, we are cooperating with United Nations agencies in a concerted effort to end the practice of female genital mutilation. Last year, the Government provided core funding of €8 million to the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF) and €3 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to support their work on child protection, gender equality, reproductive health, maternal mortality and HIV and AIDS. We are providing funding at the same levels for 2010. These agencies operate a joint programme to counter female genital mutilation with the aim of ending the practice in seventeen countries by 2012. Ireland contributed €0.5 million to this specific programme in 2007. In addition, in 2009 a total of €1.1 million was provided specifically for support to gender equality and women's empowerment, including through support for the UN Trust Fund for actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women.

Progress is being made towards ending the practice of female genital mutilation, but detailed international coordination and consultation remains essential. On 6 February 2010, the International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation, UNICEF and the UNFPA reported that there has been success in reducing the incidence of the practices in several countries where it was once prevalent. They noted that it is important to focus on encouraging change from within societies, and that where communities have chosen to make public declarations against the practice, for example in Senegal, declines of up to 65 per cent have been recorded.