Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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38. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he had with US Secretary of State John Kerry on 30 October 2016 regarding the situation in Yemen; whether the use of Shannon Airport by the US military was also discussed at the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36090/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I met with Secretary of State Kerry on 30 October, in advance of him being awarded the 2015 Tipperary Peace Award. Most of the discussion focussed on Brexit and the Northern Ireland Peace Process, but we also spoke about other matters, including a brief discussion about the situation in Yemen. We discussed the prospects for political negotiations, to bring an end to the fighting.

There have been some reports, in recent days, of parties to the conflict indicating their willingness to engage with the peace roadmap set out by UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed and his team, although reports of continued fighting are also widespread. As I have said before, the only solution to this conflict is a political one and, for the sake of the civilian population who continue to suffer the longer this war continues, I hope that the parties embrace this latest opportunity to broker peace.

Secretary of State Kerry and I did not discuss Shannon airport, its use by the US military or otherwise.