Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on incidents of repressive anti-homosexuality legislation in several African states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36118/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Globally, there are seventy eight countries where individuals may still face criminal sanctions on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. A significant number, though not all, of these, are in Africa. Ireland is among those countries that have been active at the United Nations and internationally in promoting recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, and most recently on 17 September 2010 we co-organised a High-Level event at the Human Rights Council in Geneva entitled "Ending Criminal Sanctions on the Basis of Sexual Orientation". Speaking at the event, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navi Pillay, said that ending criminalisation on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is an important step towards countering discrimination and homophobia. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu sent messages calling for an end to human rights violations directed against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

The Deputy will recall that in recent months there were two specific high profile cases which arose in Malawi and Uganda. In Malawi the Government is carrying out a thorough review of the entire penal code and all laws, including those on homosexuality, are being examined. The review will assess compatibility with the Constitution of Malawi and the country's international treaty obligations. Ireland, together with its EU partners, will continue to seek the repeal of legislation which discriminates against homosexuality.

In Uganda the draft Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 is still at committee level in the Ugandan Parliament and has not been enacted into law. Members of the Uganda Human Rights Commission visited Ireland recently and discussed this and other issues with officials. The Commission is mandated with the function of recommending to Parliament effective measures to promote human rights and to monitor government's compliance with international convention obligations on human rights, and it is also engaged on this issue.

Our Embassies in Malawi and Uganda, and our other Embassies in Africa, will continue to monitor developments in this area and to make known the views of the Irish Government on the need to respect international obligations and vindicate fundamental human rights.