The Taoiseach said that he had raised human rights abuses with the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Wen Jiabao, at their meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Ahern was replying to the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, who asked if he had condemned abuses in China.
"Did he mention Tibet, which has asked that the Irish Presidency establish an EU ambassador to Tibet, given it is illegally occupied?"
The Taoiseach replied that he had raised both issues and several other issues in a two-hour meeting. "Deputy Sargent knows the Tánaiste and I have lobbied hard to secure the release of Falun Gong members who had been here for some time as students and suffered severely under the regime. I have met members of Falun Gong several times and am well aware of what they have said."
He had endeavoured, he added, to follow the recent EU line which had tried to encourage the Chinese to engage in the process rather than be in denial and to reach an understanding on how those activities could be eliminated in some of the 23 regions where the problem was particularly bad.
"I stressed, as did many of my EU colleagues in this five-country visit, how we believe the Chinese authorities can achieve this. I emphasised the importance for China of this issue if it wants to make progress in other areas.
"I believe China is doing so and wishes to do so. I pointed out that China has to work with EU and other countries on this issue."
Mr Sargent said a report in The Irish Times had said the Taoiseach raised human rights issues and expressed satisfaction that progress had been made. "Certainly, those who are suffering, and the people who are in contact with us and Amnesty International, have not been expressing satisfaction," Mr Sargent said.
Mr Ahern said the Government expressed concern and revulsion at human rights abuses anywhere.
