Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Conor Lenihan has asked the Ethiopian charge d'affaires in Dublin to meet him this week so that the official can "give his government's view of recent disturbing events".
An estimated 46 people died in Ethiopia last week in clashes arising from the disputed results of last May's multiparty election, the first in the country's history.
Speaking at the Foreign Affairs Committee in Leinster House yesterday, Mr Lenihan said: "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of lethal force by the Ethiopian security forces." He said Ireland's charge d'affaires in Addis Ababa was "currently looking into the conditions under which those who have been arrested are being held".
Mr Lenihan appealed for restraint on both sides: "There is also an onus on the opposition parties to respect the rule of law. We urgently call upon all political parties and the Ethiopian people to desist from further violence."
Pointing out that Ireland was contributing €30 million in direct bilateral aid to Ethiopian government agencies this year, Mr Lenihan said: "Our aid programme is kept under constant review and the recent events give rise to real concern about the nature and level of our engagement."
Fine Gael spokesman on foreign affairs Bernard Allen said prominent opposition figures in Ethiopia had been "both assaulted and arrested". Mr Lenihan should let Ethiopian embassy officials know that "what is happening is unacceptable."
"I just want to ask the Minister are we now going to link our development aid to the democratic systems in place in the recipient countries, and will there be greater control over government-to-government aid?"
Expressing strong agreement with the Minister of State, Labour spokesman Michael D Higgins nevertheless cautioned that "Those who rush to say we should never have given the Ethiopian government this amount of aid would have to bear in mind that a drastic action would impact on the weakest and poorest people."
Independent Senator David Norris welcomed Mr Lenihan's statement but said it was "diplomatic and balanced almost to the point of timidity". He conceded that it was "a very difficult situation" and that it was necessary to avoid hurting the ordinary people who were receiving aid.
Senator Norris urged a positive response to requests from John O'Shea from the aid agency Goal to address the committee on the issue. He said similar requests had come from anti-war activist Mary Kelly to speak on the Shannon airport controversy, and she should also be given a hearing.
Fianna Fáil TD Pat Carey said that, because of Ireland's aid programme in Ethiopia, the Government was "probably in a stronger position than most to exercise a moral authority with both sides to pull back".