Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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168. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the UN Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea; if he will raise these very serious findings at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9661/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am deeply shocked at the appalling catalogue of human rights abuses in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea highlighted by the UN Commission of Inquiry. Accounts of appalling atrocities have been known for many years. This is the first time that they have been presented to the international community in such a detailed manner.

I want to pay tribute to the witnesses who have shared their first hand experiences of life in the DPRK, as well as the testimony of families of nationals of other countries who were abducted and held against their will in DPRK. I commend their bravery in speaking out, many of them in public hearings. The atrocities perpetrated by the DPRK authorities make chilling reading and expose the brutality of what is described in the report as a totalitarian state “which seeks to dominate every aspect of its citizens’ lives and terrorise them from within”. There is clearly a case to answer and I call on the DPRK authorities to engage with the UN process. The entire international community has an obligation to the people of the DPRK who have suffered so grievously.

The Commission will formally present its findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council on 17th March. The EU and Japan will table a resolution on human rights in DPRK during the March session of the HRC which will seek to take forward the recommendations made by the Commission. Drafting of the resolution is at a preliminary stage but I can assure you that Ireland will strongly support efforts to ensure follow-up to the recommendations, including those on accountability for human rights violations. It is particularly important to ensure accountability where violations of human rights may amount to crimes against humanity. The Commission’s findings in this regard must be taken very seriously. We are consulting with EU partners and Japan on how to reflect this in the resolution under discussion.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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170. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, in the context of the increasingly vitriolic comments emanating from Government leaders of other states regarding human rights, including those of persons who are LGBT, and the passing of legislation which contravenes the most basic of human rights standards that the UN and most of its member states expect, he will confirm the safeguards that are in place to ensure that no Irish public money, via Irish Aid, benefits those with such a blatant disregard for human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9699/14]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Government consistently supports the promotion and protection of the human rights of all persons, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and is strongly committed to combating all human rights violations committed against individuals on such or any other basis. When I addressed the UN General Assembly on 28 September 2013, I pledged Ireland’s full support to the efforts of the UN Secretary General in his efforts to lead a global campaign for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights. I also had the honour of addressing the Annual Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association of Europe (ILGA-Europe) on 21 October 2012, when I affirmed that LGBTI rights are human rights.

At the UN, Ireland co-sponsored the landmark Resolution at the Human Rights Council (HRC) on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity in 2011. As members of the HRC, we will continue to promote the advancement of LGBTI rights, including through the Universal Periodic Review process. At the EU level, Ireland engaged extensively in the drafting process for the new EU Guidelines on the enjoyment of all human rights by LGBTI persons, which were adopted at the final Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 24 June 2013.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Uganda is enacting legislation to criminalise homosexuality. I have made it clear, including in direct talks with President Museveni, that the enactment of this legislation would affect our valued relationship with Uganda. Ireland, together with our EU partners, has engaged actively with the Ugandan Parliament and President Museveni in an effort to halt the regressive and discriminatory Anti-Homosexuality Bill. It is in clear conflict with Uganda’s binding international obligations to uphold human rights. It is a threat to Uganda’s gay community and an affront to all those who value tolerance, respect and dignity of all people.

I am also concerned at the recent adoption of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act in Nigeria. I welcome and fully support the statement of 15 January by the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, which highlighted the EU’s serious concerns with this legislation. We will continue to urge the Nigerian authorities to reconsider the Act in light of Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations and in the meantime to exercise the utmost restraint in its enforcement.

Our aid programme is amongst the best in the world and has a clear focus on poverty reduction and on assisting some of the most marginalised people in the developing world. Good governance and human rights are key elements of our development programme and we provide assistance to civil society organisations promoting human rights and also for Human Rights Commissions tasked with upholding human rights in some of our Partner Countries. Our aid programme and our international reputation enables us to dialogue directly with Governments on a range of human rights issues. We also do this in close cooperation with other donor partners. This maximises our influence in this enormously important area. We are also ready to take action, as we have done in Uganda, when serious issues of governance arise. But we also want to ensure that the poorest of the poor are not penalised for the faults of their governments and we seek to look at ways of delivering assistance effectively for the benefit of the poor. Ireland will continue its efforts internationally to promote human rights, including LGBTI rights, and to give support to organisations and institutions that are active in the human rights field, many of whom are operating in very difficult environments.