Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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494. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to organise an event in July 2015 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica in Bosnia Herzegovina, in view of the European Parliament's resolution passed in 2009 which called on European Union states to commemorate the event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25916/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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As we approach the 20th anniversary of the terrible atrocity that took place at Srebrenica, we remember the 8,000 victims who lost their lives there. The appalling events at Srebrenica in 1995 have been recognised as genocide by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. This has been widely accepted by the international community. Ireland has, in the past, joined with our EU partners to condemn any attempts to minimise or deny the genocide which took place at Srebrenica. The victims will be commemorated at solemn ceremonies on 11 July, and, although it is not envisaged to hold an event in Ireland, we will be represented at the principal commemoration which will take place in Srebrenica.

Along with other members of the international community, including our EU partners, we will gather together in a spirit of remembrance and reconciliation.

The European Union was founded on the principles of peace and justice, and Ireland remains committed to supporting a peaceful, secure and prosperous future for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region. We continue to encourage them on their European path, and to help them overcome the legacy of recent conflicts.