Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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72. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has information on the serious abuse suffered by 58 Oromo and two Ogadeni refugees in Ethiopia some months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29064/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Ethiopia has been a priority country for Ireland’s aid programme since 1994. Ireland has made a significant contribution to development and the fight against poverty and hunger in Ethiopia. In the past decade Ethiopia has recorded remarkable improvements in human development, as measured by the UN Human Development Index. This progress is a strong example of the success of international development assistance when delivered in partnership with a developing country Government. However, we strongly believe that positive development results and respect for human rights must go hand in hand. Improvement in human rights and the rule of law are central to our relationship with Ethiopia and we remain strongly committed to helping build good governance and the rights of the most vulnerable in Ethiopia.

Our Embassy in Addis Ababa works on an ongoing basis, directly and in cooperation with other EU partners, to engage with the Ethiopian Government at all levels on a range of governance and human rights issues. We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Ethiopia and to take account of various views in order to form a balanced assessment across the full range of human rights issues.

I have seen a report from the Oromo Relief Association in the UK which provides information on 58 Oromo and two Ogadeni refugees from Ethiopia who were interviewed in South Africa. The report details alleged abuses they suffered while in detention in Ethiopia. Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have on previous occasions met with representatives of the Oromo Liberation Front and the Ogaden National Liberation Front in Ireland to discuss their concerns and issues raised by the Oromo and Ogadeni communities. I have asked our Embassy in Addis Ababa to follow up on this recent report from the Oromo Relief Association. We will continue to work in cooperation with our EU partners to raise human rights issues with the Ethiopian government and to improve the situation through our engagement and through our development assistance programme.