Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Nabagesera for her presentation. I listened very carefully to what she said and she answered every possible question, so I will not ask her another one. I echo what my colleague said earlier. Having listened to everything, I am as perplexed and depressed as can be because I still do not know what is driving this - the why, where and what. Usually, there is an explanation for hate campaigns. It may be inexplicable but there is an explanation. It might be rooted in politics or economics. That does not seem to be the case here. There are opportunities in Uganda with the discovery of oil, and the economy should bring people up to middle income standards. It does not seem to have anything to do with politics as the President is popular and keeps getting re-elected. Yet Ms Nabagesera says it is an uniting force. I do not understand this urge to unite. What is driving this fear that people feel they must unite in this way?

What is really depressing is that Ms Nabagesera comes here as part of a campaign, yet it is being recommended that we tread so softly and raise this issue in such a subtle and oblique way as to make it almost meaningless. She spoke about the church and I agree that this is a way of doing it. It certainly behoves the church not only to speak out against the Bill but to speak out against the church in Uganda. It is depressing to listen to all of this and then be told to be very careful in what we say when clearly the urge we all have is to say something very strongly.