Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Last month, I had the privilege along with Deputy Wallace of appearing as a witness on behalf of Margaretta D'Arcy as she defended her case along with Niall Farrell. The case she conducted as a citizen committed to defending Irish neutrality is supported by the overwhelming majority of citizens and, for the service that this women has selflessly given, she finds herself incarcerated, at almost 80 years of age, in Limerick Prison. I would like the Minister's opinion on this national embarrassment. Letters were published in today's edition of The Guardian calling on the British Government to intervene and to bring some rationality to this scenario. I salute the gesture of Mrs. Higgins, the President's wife, who visited her former colleague. That gesture should be reciprocated by the Minister and he might make a trip to the prison.

Towards the end of last year, the United Nations Committee Against Torture asked the Government what it was doing about its use of Shannon Airport. People like Margaretta D'Arcy have led the fight. Every month we come to the House and we ask the Minister and his colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, about the countless number of US aircraft that pass through Shannon Airport.

They are supposed to be unarmed, not carrying explosives or ammunition and not engaged with intelligence gathering but even when aircraft display cannons they are not inspected and are granted permission to continue.

How can the Minister allow a committed peace activist to lie in jail without a single garda being sent to investigate US military aircraft travelling through this State? It is a national scandal. The Minister should be ashamed of himself. If he had an ounce of Margaretta D'Arcy's commitment and humanity, he would direct his State forces to deal with those responsible for violence and murder rather than persecute a diligent and loyal citizen.

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