Taoiseach Responds to Congress Criticism
Following controversy on the lack of a human rights dimension to a recent Irish Government trade mission to the Gulf, Congress formally raised the matter with the Taoiseach and asking whether "Ireland's trade interests are now to trump our human rights commitments."
Congress General Secretary David Begg said an ongoing review of foreign policy would help ensure 'the integration of our trade and human rights concerns in future trade delegation visits."
The Taoiseach has since responded , disagreeing with our stance and stating that trade missions were "not the appropriate context" for raising human rights issues: 'to be effective in raising human rights issues with other states, it must be in an appropriate way and at the right juncture, so that concerns are taken seriously."
