Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach correctly pointed out that County Fermanagh is a very beautiful part of the country and that it is undoubtedly well deserving of international attention. The Taoiseach pointed out that the summit is an opportunity to advertise the county and the surrounding areas. Fermanagh will be showcased, and accommodation in the surrounding districts, including Donegal and Cavan, will be booked out by delegations and the international press.

The organisation of the summit has led to considerable disruption to the daily lives of citizens. A-level exams may be interrupted and, heaven help us, there is even a danger that the Ulster championship clash in Brewster Park will be disrupted. More important than the location of the summit, however, is the impact that the deliberations of the world leaders have had and will have on the lives of people globally. The G8 constitutes the big, powerful and advanced industrial nations. It is, by definition, an elite.

There are a number of critical issues that the summit leaders need to focus on. The issue of protest has been raised. I have in my hand a programme of events to be held across the North from 12 June to 17 June. The events are organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Amnesty International, the Pat Finucane Centre, the Bloody Sunday Trust and Friends of the Earth. They include a very big event on the Saturday in the Belfast Botanic Gardens. The protests and acts of political demonstration have been well thought out and organised. Obviously, contingencies must be built in but it is not helpful, necessary or even accurate for us to hype up a possibility of unrest on the streets. I certainly hope it does not come to pass. The brochure I have to hand demonstrates precisely why people are protesting and the issues that animate the Irish in respect of global justice. It is not just a question of economic recovery in our own region, although it is essential and although the issues of European Union policy are front and centre in this regard, as it is also a matter of broader concern over the low life expectancy of millions of citizens, particularly in the developing world. In the Taoiseach's speech at the pre-G8 conference on Saturday in London, which was entitled "Nutrition for Growth: Beating Hunger through Business and Science", he announced that the Government would double expenditure on combating hunger by 2020. While that is very welcome, the Taoiseach made no mention of other core issues, such as land grabbing, land rights and gender inequality. He made but a passing reference to climate change. I raise these issues because they comprise some of the core issues that the G8 leaders need to focus on. They are the areas in which the leaders can and must have influence. The leaders must change their policies and the corporations based in their countries. I hope that when the G8 leaders meet, there will not just be lip service paid to the core issues or a passing reference thereto. The leaders, as the Taoiseach stated, are the leaders of the most industrialised countries, and they wear this as a badge of honour that attracts considerable prestige. They, therefore, have an obligation to go beyond rhetoric and start settling on the precise actions that they, in their jurisdictions and collectively, might take to end the obscenity of children dying of diarrhoea and malnutrition. When we see the latter on our television screens, we are rightly shocked, upset and horrified, but it is not good enough for us to be shocked, upset and terrified, nor is it good enough for G8 leaders to make some references to this effect to hide their blushes because we need really profound and thought-out actions to deal with these matters. I ask the Taoiseach to ensure that these matters will form the backbone of the G8 discussions. The Taoiseach should make it his business to raise these issues not only on behalf of Irish citizens but also on behalf of citizens globally. Ireland is no different from other locations where the G8 summit has been held in that people are animated and outraged by gross inequality in the world. They are not just prepared to go along with it.

The worsening circumstances in Syria and the Middle East generally must be borne in mind. Last night, RTE broadcast a report on Syrian refugees that showed a very disturbing and not unfamiliar scene. We have seen refugees in the depicted position before. We must also bear in mind the circumstances in the Middle East more generally and the ongoing tragedy and travesty that is Palestine. Notwithstanding all the imperfections in our peace process - it is not a Northern Irish peace process but an Irish one in which we are all involved and which affects the country from one end to another - and the road we must still travel, we must realise we have made very considerable progress and can form a basis for optimism and action in other places in the world. I hope the Taoiseach will take the opportunity to brief leaders on the successes of our peace process and inform them of the hurdles we have yet to pass.

I expect the Taoiseach to raise the circumstances in the Palestinian territories and the failure by the international community to intervene positively and progressively in the ongoing conflict. In fairness to the Tánaiste, he has been proactive in raising at EU level issues associated with illegal settlements. The upcoming summit provides an opportunity for the Taoiseach to raise the circumstances in Syria and the ongoing problem in Palestine, and I hope he will avail of it. If he avails of it, it will mean saying some things that will be uncomfortable and which will not be welcomed by Israel and its government. Such is the nature of the very significant and challenging political injustices. Sometimes the hard things have to be said.

The recent decision of the European Union not to renew the arms embargo on Syria due to British and French pressure is a seriously retrograde step. We all know the reality is that big powers such as the United States, the European Union and Russia have significant influence in Syria. They need to use that influence to create the conditions for peace talks and a peace process that is viable, and not to deepen the bloodshed by transporting more arms to Syria. I urge the Taoiseach to take account of all these issues and assure us that he will, on behalf of us all, raise these core concerns of citizens throughout the world.

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