asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will instruct our Permanent Representative to the United Nations to bring to the attention of the General Assembly the unacceptable level of human rights violations in the Philippines; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Government are concerned about the level of human rights violations in the Philippines, as they are about such violations in whatever part of the world they occur. That concern has been made known to the Philippine Government by our Permanent Representative at the United Nations.

The next session of the General Assembly of the United Nations will not be taking place until September next. However, the UN Commission on Human Rights, of which Ireland is a member since 1 January this year, is currently meeting in Geneva to discuss human rights violations throughout the world. The situation in the Philippines was one of the matters dealt with by our representative at the Commission in the course of a statement made earlier today.

Will the Minister state if his Department have made any representations on behalf of the missionary priest in the Philippines who has been arrested and charged with murder?

I understand that in the past few days it has been reported in the newspapers here — and so far it appears to be correct — that the charge against Fr. O'Brien has been reactivated. We are trying to get confirmation of that and also to find out the up-to-date position. The information only came to light in the past few days.

Can the House be assured that the Minister and his Department will keep an urgent watching brief on this and make all necessary representations not only to the Philippine authorities but also to the United States authorities in the United Nations?

The Deputy can be absolutely assured of that.

Will the Minister state if this is the only Irish citizen who seems to be in trouble with the law in the Philippines?

As far as I know, yes, but I would not like to state categorically that no other Irish citizen is involved.