Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I join with the Minister in welcoming the agreement which, hopefully, will put an end to the killing. In regard to the Minister's extended reply, in a country that reports 6% growth and at the same time leaves 60% of the population on less than $2 per day, is there not something wrong with the development model? In regard to the post agreement arrangements, if 500 young men all from areas such as Kibera and Mathare slums, have been killed by the police extrajudicially, what does the Union favour by way of addressing the issue of reviewing these cases? Is it in a position to state that the independent human rights chairman's position has been restored? Have the European Union and the donor countries involved in development considered specific measures in regard to the 300,000 displaced persons? There is an argument about the number of displaced persons and I accept one cannot be accurate about the number.

Putting it bluntly, the agreement is welcome but it is an agreement between the outgoing president and very rich elite within Kenya that leaves the majority of the population in the direst poverty and some of the poorest people with no justice or redress for extrajudicial killing in the slums.

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