Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I commend and thank Deputy Gerard Murphy for tabling the amendment, which is welcome. The key words in the amendment are "duty" and "co-operate". We all have a duty to live up to international law and respect human rights throughout the world and we also have a duty to co-operate and assist in the introduction of an international rule of law, to which all countries should sign up. Respect for human rights must be a central concern of the International Criminal Court.

The amendment also presents an opportunity to challenge countries with an appalling human rights record, which have let down many people. I recently read about a number of cases. For example, the US record on human rights is not up to international standards and I visited Colombia and witnessed at first hand the assassination of human rights lawyers to which the world turned a blind eye. It is a national scandal that five Cuban citizens, known as the Miami Five, who tried to prevent terrorism in their native country, have been jailed in the US. These five decent, honourable people tried to prevent bombing campaigns in Cuba by right wing extremists based in Miami but they are serving jail sentences of between 14 and 20 years. I dedicate the amendment to the memory of the 3,478 Cubans killed and 2,099 maimed by these US-based terrorist groups since 1959.

In recent days, documents published about Northern Ireland highlight that up to 15% of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were also members of loyalist paramilitary groups but there has not been a squeak out of any Member about this breach of international law. They were members of the North's security forces but nobody has opened his or her mouth about these issues. Members of the Defence Forces who are stationed in Ireland or abroad must be high quality and they must respect human rights and international law. They have an admirable record in their work with the UN and their treatment of foreign citizens. Representatives of a neutral country who participate in conflict resolution are respected and held in high regard by those involved in the conflict. I raise these issues because there is an element of hypocrisy in this country and elsewhere in respect of the International Criminal Court. We must all accept, obey and respect international laws and do our best for human rights.

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