Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the political situation in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49740/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As it stands, the political situation in Sri Lanka remains uncertain and is still evolving. President Maithripala Sirisena's decision to replace Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with a new appointee, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and to dissolve the parliament has led to protests across the country. The decision to dissolve parliament has since been suspended by the Supreme Court until 7th December. We have been closely monitoring these recent political developments in Sri Lanka, which have received extensive international media coverage. Current events are a test of Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions and it is important for Sri Lanka to find a solution that is respectful of the country’s constitution and also avoids violence and provocation.

Officials in my Department, including at the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi, which is also accredited to Sri Lanka, continue to monitor closely the situation as it develops. I have asked that Ireland’s Ambassador in New Delhi keep me updated on the situation.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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115. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the political situation in Brazil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49742/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Mr. Jair Bolsonaro was elected as President of Brazil on 28 October 2018 and will be inaugurated on 1 January next year. Officials in my Department in Dublin, at our Embassy in Brasília, and at our Consulate-General in São Paulo followed the election process closely, and have continued to monitor political developments since, including proposals the incoming Government is considering once it takes office next year. Brazil is Latin America’s largest democracy and I note that, according to the head of the OAS election observation mission, former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, the election took place in a peaceful manner and citizens were able to exercise their democratic right to vote. Ireland takes a keen interest in the region, and Ireland and Brazil have a longstanding and warm relationship. Brazil is an important partner of Ireland in a number of areas, including on multilateral issues, such as disarmament and non-proliferation, and is our second largest trading partner in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Brazilians are the sixth largest non-Irish group in our population, with nearly 16,000 Brazilians living in Ireland in 2016.

Brazil is currently in a period of transition, and I welcome early indications from the President-elect that he will govern in strict accordance with the Brazilian constitution. It is important to note that the full plan for the new government will not be clear until after President-elect Bolsonaro and his new administration assume office on 1 January 2019. While we have taken note of statements made by the President-elect and Ministers-designate, it will be some time before official government policy becomes apparent.

Ireland will continue to monitor developments closely, engaging with the outgoing and incoming administrations, our EU and other partners in Brazil. I look forward to building and strengthening our relationship with Brazil in the years to come.