Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Tacaím leis an éileamh go mbeadh lá cuimhneacháin ann don Ghorta Mór. In considering the context, will the Taoiseach take on board the need for a commemoration of that sort so the lessons can be learned, not just about world hunger and the distribution of resources but also about the Irish diaspora which resulted from the Famine? We must be careful to avoid over-reliance on any one food or fuel, such as oil for example. The principle of not putting all one's eggs in one basket also applies as a reason for not commemorating all events together. The Taoiseach should deliver on that demand. The effects of the Famine were extraordinary and we need to commemorate it.

Are there plans for the Government to mark the United Nations international day in support of victims of torture, on 26 June? The Taoiseach addressed the UN recently so I know he is in the loop as regards such events. We should be clear about this matter, given the need to implement checks on CIA extraordinary rendition planes.

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