Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 66: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise his concern with the Brazilian Ambassador on the recent deaths in the past month of Amazon forest residents who have questioned the legitimacy of loggers and if he will call on the Brazilian Government to redouble its efforts to halt deforestation in the unique ecosystems of the Amazon rain forest and reverse the new forest codes being adopted that will accelerate denuding of these irreplaceable forests that are a global treasure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18075/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I'm aware of reports that a number of rural activists have been killed in the Amazon region since May which represents a worrying escalation of intimidation and violence in the region. Our Embassy in Brasilia is closely monitoring the situation and has already been in contact with the Department of Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the Special Secretariat for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders at the Office of the President in this connection.

Both offices have assured us that they will do all they can to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice, and have informed us that, in addition to the activities of the National Programme for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an inter-ministerial working group has been established to consider a list of people considered to be at-risk. It has also been announced that Federal Police and Army personnel will be deployed into Amazonas, Pará and Rondónia to assist in the investigation of the murders and to prevent further attacks.

A session of the EU-Brazil human rights dialogue took place in Brasilia on 26 May, at which Ireland was represented. The recent deaths of environmental activists were raised by the EU side as a matter of serious concern. The EU has also been active in promoting the adoption of human rights defender legislation, which is currently before the Brazilian Congress. Proposed amendments to Brazilian forest protection laws, which would effectively relax long-standing legislation designed to protect the Amazon and curb deforestation, are a matter of concern.

Ireland supports the sustainable management of forests both in developed and developing countries and condemns the activities of those involved in illegal logging activities. In response to illegal logging and the trade in illegally logged timber, Ireland supports the EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), and also the introduction in 2013 of the EU Timber Trader Regulation (995/2010), which places obligations on timber importers to source only legal timber products. Ireland also ratified the International Tropical Timber Agreement 2006, in December 2009 along with many other countries.