Human rights do not feature on China trip

IRISH ministers made it clear last night that when it comes to China, profits are much more important than human rights.

As the trade mission to Shanghai boasted of confirming €25m worth of business, the two Government ministers visiting the one-party state admitted Irish concerns over Tibet or the suppression of basic rights had not been mentioned.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe and junior Trade Minister John McGuinness claimed it was not their job to protest against human rights abuses in what is now the world’s fourth biggest economy.

They indicated that they had left it to Taoiseach Brian Cowen to raise such matters when he met the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao yesterday.

Mr O’Keeffe was completing a final day leading Ireland’s trade delegation, after Mr Cowen delayed his trip due to the medical card crisis.

Mr O’Keeffe talked up the benefits of Irish companies breaking into the Chinese market and trying to reduce our €2.5 billion trade deficit we have with the people’s republic.