Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 72: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action he will take to ensure that the EU's 2013 country strategy for Colombia supports the return of peasant farmers, Afro-Colombians and indigenous peoples, to their land under the new victims' law of 25 May 2011. [16581/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I welcome the adoption of the Victims Law and Land Restitution Law. The Deputy can rest assured that Ireland will support the Government of Colombia in its implementation of this important and far-reaching legislation, including within the framework of the next EU Country Strategy for Colombia. The 2007-2013 EU Country Strategy paper for Colombia recognises that the "situation as regards human rights and democracy in Colombia is still critical" and that "the most vulnerable groups include indigenous peoples and Afro-Colombians, as well as, inter alia, social leaders, trade-union leaders, journalists and human rights defenders".

The approach of Ireland, and indeed of the European Union, in the drafting of the next Country Strategy for Colombia, will continue to be one of support for the implementation by the Colombian Government of concrete steps that address the consequences of decades of terrorism. The Victims Law is one such step.