Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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43. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the treatment of a person (details supplied); and if he will raise the matter with the Chinese authorities. [45508/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The protection and promotion of universal human rights is one of Ireland’s core foreign policy priorities. This includes the right to religious, linguistic and cultural freedom.

The Government regularly raises concerns regarding human rights with China, both in bilateral meetings as well as in the appropriate international fora. I raised Ireland’s long-held concerns about Tibet and other human rights matters when I met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to Dublin in February. 

In our national Item 4 statement at the March 2025 session of the UN Human Rights Council, Ireland reiterated our concerns regarding the treatment of religious groups in China, including Tibetans. Ireland also joined the EU Statement, which expressed concern about the human rights situation in Tibet and called for China to respect the rights of persons belonging to religious groups to conduct their basic affairs without interference.

The situation in Tibet was also raised during the most recent EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, held in Brussels on 13 June. The EU noted the particularly vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities across China. The EU also raised certain emblematic individual cases, calling for the immediate release of those detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights - including a number of Tibetan activists, writers and religious leaders.

Ireland will continue to address human rights concerns with China, both bilaterally and as a member of the EU, and through the relevant multilateral channel.