asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a recent report by Amnesty International on the torture of children by various countries and if he will raise the issue at the appropriate international forum or make suitable representations to bring this to a halt.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Torture of Children.
12.
I have seen the booklet entitled "Children" published by Amnesty International some weeks ago, to which I presume the Deputy is referring.
This booklet brings together details of suffering experienced by children at the hands of various governments or their agents. The contents are shocking and distressing particularly in this International Year of the Child.
In the course of my recent address to the General Assembly of the United Nations I reiterated my concern about human rights violations of various kinds. The Amnesty International Report on children indicates that many children in several parts of the world are victims of some of the violations to which I referred.
The Deputy will be aware that much remains to be done in transforming the international concern about breaches of human rights into effective action towards preventing such breaches. The Deputy can be assured that representatives of the Irish Government will continue to participate actively in the various efforts to this end in international fora, particularly in the United Nations General Assembly.
The promotion of respect for human rights remains an active concern of mine and the protection of human rights in the case of children is clearly of the utmost importance.
I agree with the Minister about the international sense of revulsion with which all civilised people will greet the report referred to. Apart from the continued participation of the Irish Government in initiatives presumably initiated by other organisations in other countries, is it conceivable that the Irish Government might introduce some initiative in this area or might set up or seek to set up some sort of international protection agency for children, rather than wait for somebody else to do the work?
We have not been waiting for anybody else. I know the other side of the House do not suggest that, when horrible problems arise around the world, because we may not be able to solve them we are culpable. We have taken consistent initiatives in the areas of human rights in a range of areas in a range of countries including co-sponsoring many resolutions at the United Nations. We will continue to do that. It is from those resolutions, as adopted by the United Nations, that certain actions are taken. I appreciate the Deputy's concern, which is shared by me. I want to indicate that we are not just reacting or responding. We are taking initiatives.
Apart from co-operation with initiatives by the UN, would the Minister's Department or himself be able to consider separate initiatives taken by a State very concerned about this frightful attack on the human rights of innocent women and children?
The most effective action to be taken can be taken by the United Nations and the agencies and we have been doing that.
That is open to some debate.
Of course, it is.