Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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33. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he and his colleagues at European Union and United Nations level continue to focus on the activities of ISIS and Boko Haram, with particular reference to the degree to which the principles of democracy continue to be ignored and the extent to which arbitrary executions, persecution of Christians, kidnapping, trafficking and abuse of women and girls continues unabated; if the international community has taken any action to address these issues in an effective way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45389/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Government fully supports the removal of the threat to international peace and security posed by DA'ESH, consistent with international law. DA'ESH's horrific crimes in Paris and Beirut, as well as their systematic crimes against the rights and the existence of ethnic, religious and LGBTI minorities, women and children across the Middle East must be prevented by all legal means possible.

At the UN Human Rights Council in September 2015, Ireland made a number of statements in which we condemned DA'ESH'S barbarous treatment of civilians, their campaign of violence against religious and ethnic minorities in Syria and Iraq, and their treatment of women and girls, including their being subjected to harrowing acts of sexual and physical violence and to sexual slavery. We have urged the Security Council to uphold international law and ensure full accountability for crimes committed in Syria by referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

UNSCR 2249 grants authority for States to take all necessary measure to suppress and eradicate terrorist acts by DA'ESH in territory under its control within Syria and Iraq and to eradicate the safe haven they have established inside Syria and Iraq. Any action undertaken under this resolution must be in compliance with international law, in particular the UN Charter, as well as international human rights, refugee, and humanitarian law.

Defeating DA'ESH cannot be separated from ending the Syrian conflict. It is the Syrian conflict, and above all the actions and policies of the Assad regime, which has created this terrorist threat. The attack in Paris underlines the critical importance of bringing the Syrian conflict to a close.

I welcome the statement of the International Syria Support Group on 14 November in Vienna on the launching of negotiations, the holding of elections and supporting unimpeded humanitarian access across Syria.

The conflict in Syria has had immense humanitarian consequences and Ireland is playing its part in alleviating the suffering of those affected. By the end of 2015, we have pledged that our support for the Syrian people will reach €42 million. Funding is spent on priority needs which include food aid, water and sanitation, shelter, education and protection, including child protection and prevention of gender-based violence.

The brutal activities of Boko Haram continue to represent a serious threat to the peace and security of Nigeria, but also the wider region. They also involve the clear and persistent abuse of human rights, especially of women and girls, and a direct threat to education and education facilities.

There has been some success this year in pushing Boko Haram back from major towns in north-eastern Nigeria. A Multinational Joint Taskforce involving troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin has been operationalised.

EU Foreign Ministers adopted detailed Conclusions in February, condemning the appalling atrocities committed by Boko Haram and confirming the EU's readiness to provide support to the region. Since then, an EU Political Framework for Crisis Approach (PFCA) for Boko Haram has been developed, and EU support of up to €50 million for the Multinational Joint Taskforce has been approved.

The EU has also pledged to continue providing immediate humanitarian relief to those affected by Boko Haram activities and to increase its efforts at a regional level - mobilising €21 million of humanitarian funding last June for the four countries concerned. Ireland is also providing direct support of nearly €1.4 million this year to address humanitarian needs.

The situation concerning Boko Haram was discussed at a meeting convened by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on 30 June and at a Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in April. At these meetings, Ireland highlighted the terrible human rights and humanitarian impact of the terrorist violence.

More generally on human rights, Ireland and the EU consistently press for effective action to counter the persecution of minorities in all relevant international fora. Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who the victims are. I highlighted the alarming rise in attacks on Christians when I addressed the UN General Assembly in October and the UN Human Rights Council in March.

Ireland works within and alongside the EU to address persecution of Christians and other religious minorities, notably through the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief adopted during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2013 and the EU-led General Assembly resolution on Freedom of Religion or Belief which was adopted by the Third Committee last month.