I seek information from the Minister of State in relation to Ireland providing funds to the IMF. I ask this question in the context of either the Department of Finance or the Central Bank, and I would like some clarification. I do not intend to go on at length about the situation in Indonesia. There is currently financial chaos in the country. The IMF is bailing out a number of countries including Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia in particular, and my understanding is that the largest tranche of money — $46 billion — will go to Indonesia. That money will come from contributions from Ireland, the European Union and other countries including the United States of America. The reality is that the largest contribution will come from the European Union, collectively, as happens now in most of these projects.
Has a request has been received by the Department of Finance or by the Central Bank? What are the procedures in the Department to assess the merits or otherwise of this request in relation to human rights in Indonesia and in East Timor? I am particularly concerned about East Timor because despite some prospects of a breakthrough last year, the report published recently by the East Timor Human Rights Centre, Breaking the Cycle of Human Rights Violations in East Timor, which I am sure most Deputies received in recent days, concludes that the breakthrough it was expecting has not happened.
We have an opportunity now in relation to any contributions that may be sought from us. I would like to believe this matter will be discussed at the ECOFIN meeting where they will not trouble themselves unduly with human rights issues, but it may also be discussed by the General Affairs Council. Will the Minister of State ensure that our Minister for Foreign Affairs raises this matter in the General Affairs Council because the General Affairs Foreign Ministers are perhaps more engaged in human rights issues than the Finance Ministers?
I would like an undertaking from the Minister of State, if the request has not been received to date, that when it is received there is some procedure whereby the request is brought into this House. It is not good enough if the Department of Finance or the Central Bank participate in the contribution of $46 billion to aid the Suharto regime. The Minister may be aware there is growing concern in the international financial community that this money may be used for the wrong purposes. The currency is in crisis and the state is being run primarily by President Suharto, his family and their friends. There is concern that this money will be used to bail out the people who matter in Indonesia which would be totally at odds with what it is intended for, namely, to save an economy.
I would like some clarification from the Minister of State as to whether the request has been received and, if it is received, what the procedures are for considering whether we will participate.