Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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12. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recent arrest of eight young Basque political activists in Donostia San Sebastián and the consequences these political arrests could have on the peace process there and if he will raise the issue with the Spanish Government. [23215/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I have closely followed developments in relation to the Basque Country, including the outcome of the San Sebastian Conference in October 2011 and the subsequent declaration by ETA on 20 October 2011 that the organisation had “decided on the definitive cessation of its armed activity”. As I have said previously, the Government supports any development that could lead to definitive peace in the Basque Country. Six of the individuals in question were arrested as a result of their conviction by the Supreme Court on 9 April of membership of an illegal armed organisation. A further two people were arrested for resisting the police during protests aimed at preventing the arrests of the six people convicted by the Supreme Court. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on these arrests nor to speculate on the possible impact that they might have.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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13. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the bombing of targets in Damascus, Syria on 5 May 2013 by Israel’s air force; if he is concerned about this military attack and the possible consequences; and if he has discussed the issue with his European counterparts. [23219/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I would refer the Deputy to my reply to the earlier Priority Question on this topic. Reports suggest that, as in an earlier episode in January, a convoy delivering advanced weapons including missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon was attacked. The missiles were said to have been supplied originally by Iran. A Syrian army base on the outskirts of Damascus seems also to have been hit: this is said to have been a staging or storage area for Hezbollah weapons, and may also have had a role in chemical weapons research or production for Syria.

There are reports, from serious sources but again unconfirmed, that Israel has passed a message to Syria that it is not intervening in the Syrian conflict, but acting solely to prevent weapons reaching Hezbollah. Significant numbers of Hezbollah fighters are in turn reported fighting on the side of the Assad regime in Syria.

The growing complexity and danger of escalation of these events to engulf the wider region is clear, and I would expect that this will feature in discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council on 27 May which I will attend.