Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he is taking to call for an end to violence in Yemen; if he has requested the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to explain recent horrific events in Yemen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35986/18]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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61. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn drawn to the air strike on a school bus in Yemen by the Saudi Arabia led military coalition on 9 August 2018 that killed 40 children; if his attention has been further drawn to another air strike by the Saudi Arabian led coalition on 24 August 2018 that killed 22 children; if these attacks and the Saudi Arabian led coalitions repeated targeting and killing of civilians and children will be condemned (details supplied); and if he will support requests to impose an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia until it ceases its military attacks in Yemen and abides by international law. [36408/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 61 together.

Yemen is currently the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with over twenty million people in need of assistance due to drought and the disruptions of war. Three years of war have had devastating consequences for civilians, with allegations of violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and significant loss of life. Three quarters of the population are estimated to require some form of humanitarian assistance.

I, and officials in my Department, have been monitoring the state of affairs in Yemen with growing anxiety, particularly in recent weeks as multiple reports of attacks affecting civilians have circulated. I remain deeply concerned by the level of violence in Yemen, and by reports of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. I condemn in the strongest terms all actions which endanger civilians, including those attacks referenced by the Deputies.

Officials from my Department regularly convey to the Saudi Embassy in Dublin my strong concerns in relation to the situation in Yemen, and the impact the fighting is having on civilians, especially children. They also conveyed my condemnation of missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, which also have the potential to impact on civilians. There have also been EU contacts with Saudi Arabia in relation to concerns about civilians in Yemen.

Ireland has also worked in the UN system to raise our grave concerns about human rights in Yemen. At the Human Rights Council in September 2017, Ireland was part of a small core group of countries that drove forward the adoption by consensus of a Resolution on Yemen. The resolution established a group of international experts to examine the facts in relation to violations of human rights and humanitarian law on the ground. Ireland is still examining the report of the findings of the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen that was published last week. We look forward to discussing it further with our partners later this month at the next session of the Human Rights Council.

Ireland has provided €15.5 million in bilateral humanitarian assistance to Yemen since the conflict began in 2015. Of this, €4 million was contributed this year alone. Ireland also provides global funding to a number of organisations which are particularly active in Yemen including the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

On the problems posed by arms transfers to conflict regions, Ireland’s efforts are concentrated on universalisation and implementation of the 2014 Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which has been signed and ratified by all EU Member States. The ATT is the first legally binding instrument to regulate the international trade in conventional weapons. States which sign up to the Treaty are prohibited from exporting arms to countries if they know those weapons will be used to commit gross violations of human rights.

I would like to assure the Deputies that Ireland will continue to take every appropriate opportunity to urge stronger international action, and will press for a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Yemen, as well as respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, and improved humanitarian access.