Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on the OSCE. I congratulate the Tánaiste and wish him well in his role as chair of the OSCE and commend my colleagues, Deputies Eoghan Murphy and Stephen Donnelly, on their work.

I will focus on three main policy areas and conflicts to which the Tánaiste and the OSCE should give more attention. They are Cuba, Palestine and Colombia. All of those countries need more support, and I hope the OSCE will up its game in terms of conflict resolution and human rights.

The OSCE's mandate includes issues such as arms control, the promotion of human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections. The OSCE has 550 headquarters with a field staff of 2,300 people. The OSCE is funded by its 56 members and its annual budget is in the region of €150 million. I raise these issues because resources are available to deal conflict resolution and human rights issues.

I raise the issue of Cuba and the way it is being treated by its nearest neighbour, the United States. I dedicate this contribution to the Miami Five case. Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labanino, Fernando González and René González are five Cubans who are trying to stop Miami based terrorist groups carrying out violent actions against the people of Cuba. They were found guilty of charges ranging from murder to espionage by a court in Miami which relied on the evidence of convicted terrorists. That is an important point. All these people are innocent of the charges brought against them. Extensive intimidation of jurists by these same terrorists was a feature of the trial and they are currently appealing their convictions. They are known in Cuba as the "Miami Five".

I point out to the Tánaiste and members of the OSCE that we need to ensure the release and exoneration of the five victims of this obvious miscarriage of justice. When I was in Cuba a number of years ago these people were treated in the same way as the Birmingham Six were many years ago. They were highlighted in every hotel and community centre I visited as being victims of a miscarriage of justice.

In Europe and in the United States - I am not being anti-US in saying this and I put this point on the record with a recent meeting I had with the American ambassador - we need to be open and sincere and Ireland should be a mediator in these conflicts. That is why I urge the Tánaiste to do this. People should think of the Miami Five case, think of the people of Cuba.

Another fact often ignored by many people in the West and in the European Union is that the campaign for the Miami Five is dedicated to the memory 3,478 Cubans killed and the 2,099 maimed at the hands at the hands of US-based terrorists since 1959. Many people do not realise that this has gone on against the people of Cuba. I ask the Tánaiste the OSCE to end the suffering of the Miami Five and the people of Cuba as a matter of urgency.

Another issue is that of Palestine and the rights of the Palestinian people. This week I and a number of colleagues met the Palestinian ambassador. The Palestinian people need Ireland to use its clout and influence more at a European level and at a United National level. The ambassador has pleaded with us to do this. Members of the Tánaiste's party attended that meeting and they were very supportive. I know that on a personal level the Tánaiste has pushed this agenda at the United Nations. There is a more immediate crisis in regard to the Palestinians. This week there are 1,600 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strikes and that will lead to a very delicate situation and could led to a very nasty situation.

The European Commission has recently cited 82 instances of damage inflicted by Israeli defence force attacks on EU-funded development projects, together with the member states they provided the money for each, and the dates range from May 2001 though to October 2011. Total losses are put at €49.1 million, with €29.3 million attributed to EU funding. These projects are funded by the EU, yet they are being wrecked by the Israeli forces.

I ask the Tánaiste to note these issue, use our experience in regard to the Good Friday Agreement and conflict resolution and put ourselves on the map in regard to mediation internationally. The word I get from different nationalities is that Ireland still has respect as being an international peace broker. There is urgent onus on the Tánaiste to develop this process. I wish him well in the future.

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