Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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96. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or his Department have engaged with representatives of the Colombian government with regard to the purchasing of coal or fossil fuels of any kind from Colombia. [22975/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that neither I nor officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have engaged with representatives of the Colombian government in regard to the purchasing of coal or fossil fuels of any kind from Colombia.

As the Deputy will appreciate, matters relating to the import and export of coal, and policy in this regard, do not fall under the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

More broadly on these issues, my Department works closely with the multi-stakeholder Implementation Group for the National Plan on Business and Human Rights.  This Group regularly engages with experts and considers best practice.  Most recently, at the Group’s request, my Department’s Civil Society Forum, which took place on 27 April, included a session on the EU draft Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence.

In our engagement and relations with Colombia, my Department continues to monitor all issues raised with us by human rights, environmental and indigenous rights defenders, including through the EU Delegation in Bogota and our own Embassy in Colombia, which is actively engaged on these issues.

We recognise that addressing social, land-related and environmental issues is an essential component of Colombia’s peace process and we remain committed to supporting Colombia in the comprehensive implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement and in its transition to a post-conflict society, including by means of funding channeled through the EU, the UN and various NGOs operating in-country.