Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2015
176. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland has identified countries with which it can share good practice from the peace process on this island; the extent to which such sharing takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15285/15]
View answerI will wait for the Minister's response to this question.
Sharing the experience of peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland is identified as a priority in our foreign policy document, The Global Island, which was published earlier this year. Since its establishment in 2008, the conflict resolution unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has engaged in such work on an ongoing basis. Each conflict and each peace process is unique. There is no one model for reconciliation that will be successful in every context. Many parts of the world that have been affected by conflict look to Ireland for ideas, inspiration and advice. Experience has shown that Ireland can offer a useful lesson-sharing engagement. This practical sharing of good practice and experience needs to be tailored to the specifics of the particular conflict situation. At the same time, general insights and principles that may be applied in various contexts with the aim of building a sustainable peace need to be communicated.
The Department's lesson-sharing work has been largely undertaken in response to demand from international organisations working in a number of conflict situations in countries throughout the world. Since 2008, the conflict resolution unit has hosted delegations from Afghanistan, Moldova, Nepal, South Korea and the Middle East.
Already since the start of 2015, relevant lessons from Ireland’s experience of promoting peace support and post-conflict reconciliation have been shared in the contexts of conflicts and peace processes in Colombia, Ukraine, Turkey and the Middle East. Lesson-sharing has addressed a wide range of conflict resolution issues such as security sector support, human rights, the role of international third parties in peace processes, the participation of women and communities and the importance of confidence building and popular endorsement of agreements reached.
We will continue to undertake this valuable work in the context of the ongoing process of reconciliation and co-operation on this island. Two-way lesson-sharing allows the Government to nurture peace and reconciliation on this island while at the same time providing a positive model for other countries seeking to resolve conflict and build peace and harmony in communities.
I call Deputy Anthony Lawlor.
I thank the Acting Chairman. I like his white suit, which is obviously in recognition of the fact he is a Kildare man. One Kildare man will always recognise another.
It is part of the peace process, on a micro level.
There is a peace process in Kildare also because we see an awful lot of Mayo people in the county.
Would the Minister say his Department is being progressive in this matter? Are we taking a much more active role rather than waiting for people to come to us? Are we using Irish Aid, which has a budget of €660 million and which increased this year for the first time in seven years? Do we use Irish Aid to break down barriers, particularly in areas such as Mozambique where there is an ongoing conflict? Are we using the skills of Irish Aid and the Department to help in that area?
Do we use religious or civic agencies, particularly in conflict areas in Africa? Many religious organisations, particularly in Africa, have done tremendous work in highlighting the progressive nature of the Irish contribution.
I call on the Minister, white coat or not.
A white coat sounds better than a white flag. Coming from a man who wears the white jersey most Sundays, I suppose a white coat is entirely appropriate for a Kildare man.
I thank Deputy Lawlor for his question. I acknowledge the work of the many NGOs in this area and people from the religious sector, many of whom have enhanced the reputation of Ireland overseas, particularly in Africa, over a long number of years. I also acknowledge the work of the overseas aid unit. The Department obtains a measure of feedback from the many lesson-learning meetings and that feedback is almost uniformly positive. We look directly to the relevance of our experience in Northern Ireland and our own conflict situation and peace process.
