Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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137. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his assessment of the Government's actions to highlight the ongoing genocidal activity against Christians, Yazidis and other Muslim minorities in the Middle East by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36927/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I have repeatedly condemned the horrific crimes by ISIS against religious and ethnic minorities in Syria and Iraq, including in my speech to the UN General Assembly last month.

ISIS has publicly promoted its use of murder, torture, mass sexual violence and forced religious conversions in areas under its control. Ireland has publicly condemned ISIS and other terrorist groups at the United Nations, including at the recent Human Rights Council session.

Ireland has co-sponsored a resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. I regret that this resolution was vetoed by two permanent members of the Council.

I have expressed on many occasions my deep concerns and frustration at the blockages in the Security Council. Ireland is an active member of the ACT (Accountability, Coherence and Transparency) Group which is promoting reforms to the Council’s working methods to improve its effectiveness. The ACT recently proposed a Code of Conduct for Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. 104 UN Member States are currently supporting the Code, including nine of the fifteen present members of the Council and three of the five incoming elected members.