Seán Ó Fearghaíl

It is appropriate to be able to pose this question in the aftermath of International Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January. I want to ask what the Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is doing to support the work of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Holocaust education programme.

If we needed proof that an education programme is important, that was given to us in a recent survey undertaken by the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, with the involvement of an Irishman, Professor Gideon Taylor, son of a former distinguished Minister and Member of these Houses. As the Minister of State has pointed out, it was established that 10% of people believed that the …

I commend the Minister and the Government on what they are doing. It is really important work. When does the Minister of State imagine that this work will commence in the 600 schools around the country where it is going to be delivered? Does he think there is a possibility, given that children and young people are not just influenced by what happens and what they experience in school, but particul…

Deputy Ardagh and I are trying to establish what the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is doing regarding the repression of civil society and democratic opposition and the undermining of democracy and the rule of law in Russia.

For the past four years, the world has been focused on Russian aggression and the appalling war in Ukraine perpetrated on a foreign, sovereign people by the megalomaniac that is Putin. We have lost sight of what may be happening within Russia itself, and that is understandable. When we think of opposition in Russia, we think of the late, brave Alexei Navalny, whose second anniversary will be marke…

It is interesting that the Minister of State talks about stooges. There are 450 members of the Russian Duma. One wonders how many of them are actual puppets or stooges because we have not heard very much in the West about any opposition from the ranks of the Duma to the activities of Putin and his foul regime. One would wonder how, on the law of averages, among 450 people, there are not, if even b…

87. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her assessment of the current situation in Belarus; if she has had any engagement with the Belarus government-in-exile; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8280/26]

What is the Minister of State's assessment of the situation in Belarus, where the dictator Lukashenko is an ally and, indeed, puppet of the Putin regime? How does the Minister of State feel about the situation there at present?

I compliment the Minister of State on the positive and comprehensive response. I note that on 13 December Belarusian authorities released 123 prisoners following negotiations by the US Administration, which had agreed to lift a sanction on Belarusian potash. The majority of prisoners were sent to Ukraine, and a group of nine sent to Lithuania. Most of those released had been prosecuted and impriso…

I agree with the Minister of State because it is a tightrope situation. I think most of us in this country would look to what was said by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is a charismatic leader many of us in this House have met. She displayed tremendous courage in taking up the baton after her husband was arrested and has effectively been running a Belarusian Government in exile. She has said the Eu…

I want to make a brief comment as co-ordinator of the Ireland-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship Group. In recent times, I have become increasingly aware that an ever-increasing number of countries have moved to a position where they see the solution to this intractable problem, which must be resolved, having regard to sovereignty and human rights. More and more countries, including many of our Euro…

I am not on that one.

In Kildare, Sensational Kids is a social enterprise that provides assessment of needs and a range of therapies for children. It is also operational in counties Monaghan, Mayo and Cork. Approximately two years ago, on foot of a commitment of €9.5 million from the Department of justice's IIP programme, complemented by local fundraising, Sensational Kids commenced construction of a national child dev…

Yes.

I am grateful to the Minister for being present to deal with this matter. I want to declare an interest in that, as the convener of the Ireland-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship Group, this is an issue in which I am keenly interested. Will the Minister provide an update on Ireland's stance on the question of Western Sahara in the context of the recent developments at United Nations level? This 50-…

I thank the Minister for that response. It has to be accepted that, I think, we are building an ever stronger relationship between Ireland and Morocco. We have opened our embassy there. Our ambassador, Helena Nolan, is doing a superb job for us in Rabat. We all know the Moroccan ambassador to Ireland because he is ever present in this House and never loses an opportunity to promote his country. We…

8. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she has had any recent discussions with her EU counterparts about the situation in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66240/25]

I will avail of this opportunity to congratulate the Minister on her appointment. Foreign affairs has always been an important brief but at this time of international geopolitical flux or chaos, it is a particularly important role to play. Working with the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, I am sure the Minister will do a very fine job for us on the international stage. My question relates to t…

I thank the Minister of State for that response. I am sure we all remember some years ago when America withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban began to march on Kabul. When Ashraf Ghani ran away and left his people to the fate that awaited them under the Taliban, many of us hoped there might be a more moderate regime than had been feared but it is quite clear from the most recent report from Ric…

I thank the Minister of State for that response. It is particularly positive. I am very proud of my own local community in Kildare where people came together to welcome two Afghani families into the local community. They have settled in very well but they continue to fear what is happening in their home country. We hear from them of the disasters that are taking place for women and girls - their e…

I simply want to ask the Minister her views, and those of her EU counterparts, in relation to the post-ceasefire attacks in Gaza.

One could not but be quite surprised at what has happened. We welcome the ceasefire, although it is a ceasefire of sorts, that has happened in Gaza but we are aware of the fact that slaughter of the innocents still continues and we do not, in truth, have a full and total ceasefire. Gaza's health ministry reported that more than 300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli fire and nearly 900 injur…

The question of aid is of vital importance. We cannot ignore the fact, for example, that the Israelis have not yet agreed to open the Rafah crossing, and that the aid is accessing the Palestinian people via a variety of much smaller entry points. Irish people would like to know if we can be confident that the aid we are providing is getting to the people of Gaza. Irish people have been very gener…

I want to return to the question of Ukraine and to ask the Minister if she agrees that there can be no peace agreement imposed on Ukraine without its support and the support of the European Union generally.

I am not sure that I agree with the Minister in welcoming the nature of the American involvement in this particular situation. It has been characterised as being on Putin's side, appearing to be on Ukraine's side, and now being back on the Putin side again. Some people think that the current peace plan was written in Russian and translated via Google Translate. I am deeply concerned about many of …