THE EU may issue a public statement of concern over conditions in Chinese orphanages, according to the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Ms Joan Burton.
This follows a Channel 4 documentary which alleged that thousands of children were being left to die in the orphanages.
Ms Burton, who said she was "horrified" by the revelations contained in the programme, Return To The Dying Rooms, said the Government was monitoring the situation closely and would be responding with a number of specific actions.
The Minister, who chose not to travel to last year's UN women's conference in Beijing, said she was "not convinced" by claims from delegates that the conference had succeeded in highlighting human rights issues with the Chinese.
She called on women's organisations which had attended the conference to use the contacts they had made to force a change of policy by the Chinese authorities.
Together with the other EU countries, Ireland would shortly be considering the possibility of issuing a demarche, or statement of concern, to the Chinese authorities over their treatment of girl children in many orphanages.
In addition, Irish representatives will raise the issue at the second meeting of the EU Chinese human rights dialogue, which is scheduled to take place in Beijing later this month. Ireland is participating in the talks as one of the members of the three country troika which conducts the EU's external relations policy.
Ms Burton told The Irish Times that Ireland had been a co sponsor? of a motion on human rights in China, which was presented by the Minister to the UN Commission on Human Rights at a meeting in Geneva last year.
She said that among the broader issues to be considered in 1996, the 50th anniversary of UNICEF, were the use of child labour, not just in China but in other countries, and the neglect of girl children.
Ireland imports far more from China than it exports. In the first nine months of last year, imports were worth £145 million, with footwear being the most significant contributor. Exports amounted to just £19 million.
A candle lit protest against the treatment of children in China's orphanages is to be held outside the Chinese embassy in Ailesbury Road, Dublin, this afternoon starting at 2.30 p.m.
