There are a number of human rights issues of concern with regard to Qatar including its treatment of migrant workers, as people have said, women's rights, LGBT+ people and, of course, the use of the death penalty. Promoting respect for human rights is one of the core principles of Irish foreign policy. In countries where we have concerns over human rights, including Qatar, we raise these concerns very clearly both in direct contacts with the governments of those countries and in the appropriate international forums…

Our consular team is ready and waiting to support people if they need it. The team is second to none internationally. We do not have an embassy in Qatar but we have an embassy very close by and a team on the ground in Qatar to help Irish citizens should that be required. With regard to the links between sport and politics on this issue, in some ways, it is unfair to criticise players. They are sportspeople rather than politicians. Of course if they wish to make a political statement, they should be allowed to do so…

It is not. It is nothing to do with me. The Acting Chair might be able to give us some guidance.

There are four questions grouped.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 87, 104 and 105 together. While the protests in Iran started with the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in September, many more young women and men have died since, simply due to the fact they were exercising their fundamental right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. I wish to extend my condolences to the loved ones of all those who have died during the protests. The protestor's slogan of "Women, Life, Freedom" is clear and I know it is a message that has resonated with man…

I was concerned at what we were all seeing on our phones and television screens about what was unfolding in Iran, so I requested the Iranian ambassador to come in to explain what was going on in his country and to express my concern and condemnation for what I thought and still think is a violent response by police to predominantly peaceful protests. He said some of the protests were not peaceful and the Iranian Government had a responsibility to restore order to its streets and cities, which is what it was trying …

Yes.

On Palestine, which we often talk about here, we are pretty consistent. Ireland is one of the most consistent countries in the world when it comes to what we say about Palestine. I have certainly tried to be during the five years I have been in this job. I point to my very clear criticism of settlement expansion, of demolitions, of forced evictions, my criticism of the human rights situation that is allowed to continue in Gaza, my strong criticisms of the targeting of civilian infrastructure in Gaza when that has h…

I might take 30 seconds and the Minister of State may wish to come in again. I put on the record of the House the achievement of Ireland and especially of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, at COP27. He was instrumental and central in finding a compromise wording that came from the EU that ultimately was the basis of brokering a deal. There is often criticism of the size of delegations and so on. Consider what was achieved by Ireland at COP27 and at COP26 as well. It was there that the Minister, Deputy Ryan, became the cen…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 109 together. I met with the Secretary of State most recently on 2 November and the progress of the UK's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill was one of the topics discussed.  In all of our discussions, I have been frank in my view that this Bill, as it stands, is not fit for purpose. It represents a clear move away from the Stormont House Agreement.  There is near universal opposition to this Bill in Northern Ireland, including from the five main politi…

I agree. I have been holding the line on this issue because I believe that not to do so would be to dishonour the commitments we have made to victims on all sides. I have repeatedly said to victims' families that we cannot support legislation that shuts off the opportunity to take a case should there be an evidence base that allows for that to happen in the future. The idea that we would effectively introduce an amnesty so that people who perpetrated awful crimes could potentially talk and write about that, glorify…

On behalf of the Government, I would like to work with the British Government, victims' groups and political parties to ensure we could have an approach to legacy that involved the provision of information, the taking of cases and cross-Border co-operation on the island and in Great Britain in order that we could respond to the concerns expressed by many in the unionist community regarding the activity of gangs that operated across the Border and so on. If the British Government moves ahead with what it is doing, h…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 123, 132 and 137 together. I will leave my notes aside and give the Deputy as straight an answer as I have on this.

We have a bit of time.

There is more optimism now than there has been for some time that, with a new Prime Minister, Secretary of State, Foreign Secretary and a relatively new look British Cabinet, there may be an honest effort by the current British Government to work with the EU negotiating team, led by Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, to try to address the outstanding issues linked to the Northern Ireland protocol once and for all. We know the EU side has been willing to compromise; it has already shown that. We need a similar spirit of…

There were many sides to that dirty war. It was not just one side. Our focus now has to be on trying to be positive about getting to solutions. That is my focus and the Taoiseach's focus. There is not a proposed deal from Prime Minister Sunak. There has been a variety of commentary about Swiss-style arrangements and so forth, much of which is not accurate. Time and space are required for two experienced negotiating teams to work through the areas, which both sides understand very well, in regard to reaching landing…

I thank the Members of the Seanad for the time they have offered for this important topic. In particular, I thank Senator Chambers for drafting this motion, which I am happy to support. I am particularly happy to have this debate on the International Day of the Girl, which is also appropriate. I extend my condolences, as other have, to the family of Mahsa Amini and commend them on their bravery in focusing the attention of the world on the tragic and unnecessary death of their daughter. No woman should lose her lif…

I took careful note of the addresses of both Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the United Nations General Assembly in September. It was disheartening, but not surprising, that we heard two very different perspectives of the current state of play. At the same time, both leaders acknowledged the need to work towards a two-state solution, a point that was also underlined by the Taoiseach in his remarks to the General Assembly. The need to redouble efforts in this regard was u…

Can I just say, first and foremost, that Prime Minister Lapid is personally committed to a two-state solution. I met him a number of times before he became Prime Minister, when he was foreign minister. Certainly, it is my view that he is committed to that outcome. Unfortunately, the government that he has been part of for the last number of years has allowed an awful lot of actions on the ground which make that achievement much more difficult, and has created increased tension between Israelis and Palestinians, som…

I certainly think the international community needs to do more. We are trying to find ways in which we can both encourage and push for that. The Deputy and I have had conversations about that both on and off the record in terms of how we might be able to do that, whether it is through our role on the UN Security Council or our role in the EU, and so on. I would say that Ireland is the most vocal EU country on this ongoing conflict, and we will continue to be so. We are looking for ways forward. One of the reasons P…