Deputy Proinsias De Rossa has been given permission to put a question on Private Notice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will he please read the first portion of his question ending with "Irish citizens there"? The remainder has been disallowed.
Private Notice Questions. - Irish Citizens in Philippines.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the dangerous situation in the Philippines, he will say the measures, if any, the Government are taking to ensure the safety of Irish citizens there.
Deputy Lenihan has asked permission to put a question on Private Notice to the same Minister. Will he please read his question, excluding the words "human rights are observed"?
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action the Government propose to take to ensure the safety of Irish citizens is guaranteed in the new situation that is emerging in the Philippines.
A Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take both questions together. Ireland's Ambassador to the Philippines, who is normally resident in Beijing, is now in Manila looking after the safety of the Irish community and our interests. We have had no reports of Irish citizens being in danger. Our concerns about human rights in the Philippines have been previously expressed at the UN Commission on Human Rights. In the present confused situation it is not possible to anticipate the human rights situation.
Can the Minister tell us how many Irish citizens are resident in the Philippines? Will he take this opportunity to indicate the Government's concern that any new administration that may take over would not only protect their human rights but also the democratic and human rights of the citizens of the Philippines, and that any aid that might be forthcoming from Ireland or the EC would be contingent on those rights being protected?
With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question, there are of the order of 500 Irish citizens in the Phillippines of whom perhaps half or slightly more are missionaries, mainly members of the Columban Fathers, the Kiltegans, the Jesuits and the Redemptorists. With regard to our concern on human rights, our attitude has been expressed very forcibly during the period in office of President Marcos. It has been put in very trenchant terms by our representative in Geneva, Mr. Hayes, when addressing the Convention on Human Rights. Deputy De Rossa can be assured that whatever emerges we will make clear our concern that human rights should be adhered to.
Will the Minister go further and say that the adherence to human rights and protection in the Philippines should be sine qua non as far as any future administration is concerned? Furthermore, would the Minister agree that positive information as to what has happened to Father Rudi Romano of the Irish province of the Redemptorist Order would be an instance of bona fides on the part of whatever incoming administration emerges from the present situation?
One thing we will be looking at anxiously in respect of any administration is their adherence to the observance of human rights. With regard to the specific question raised by Deputy Lenihan, he will be aware by some previous answers given in the House by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of our concern. That concern has been expressed through the Philippine Embassy in London, through our missions in Australia and in the United States. It was the intention of our ambassador in Manila to raise the matter with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Philippines this week. That was one of the reasons for his visit to Manila. But, for reasons that are obvious, that is not possible. But it would be our intention to raise the matter as soon as an administration is in place.
May I ask the Minister if there is any intention to issue a statement following the meeting of Foreign Ministers in the Hague last Tuesday condemning the Macros Government as it existed over the last number of years?
There have been two meetings of the European Community. The Ministers of the Twelve, following reports from their ambassadors, issued a statement expressing their concern and alarm at the conduct of the elections and in particular drawing attention to the evidence that was available to them of widespread fraud and violence. The Ministers of the Community are meeting today in the Hague in the context of European political co-operation. It is expected that there may be developments.
May I ask the Minister if he will not agree that the extent to which any new regime which emerges in the Philippines has to be judged on how far they guarantee and promote democratic and human rights in the Philippines and that it would be of value at this point if the Irish Government made clear their position in support of such a development?
Our concern for democratic and human rights has been there for all to see. It has been there in relation to human rights in terms of the consistent interventions by our representatives at the Commission on Human Rights. Our concerns for democratic rights were evident, first of all, in the statement in advance of the election when we expressed our hope, determination and desire that the elections would be carried out in a fair manner and be above board. Our subsequent expression was in partnership with our collegues in the Community when we expressed dismay that that was not so. Clearly, we will be anxious that any new administration which may emerge will adhere to the principles of democratic and human rights.