Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not know what one might call them. We were pretty jumpy two weeks ago and we thought the water pipe had burst and was severed forever but the supply has been mended for the moment. The frost is coming and it could freeze the water and the pipe could easily shatter. We could be out knocking on doors in the few weeks after Christmas but the Government would be happy enough to have signed up to PESCO.

We will be the good boys of Europe again. Where were our friends in Europe when we wanted them during the so-called bailout? They allowed European banks to shovel billions of euro into the country. It was secured but the insurance was never drawn down. The Irish people had to take the rap. They then gave us a bailout, which I called a clean-out. They charged us nearly 6% interest on the money when we got it from the International Monetary Fund for less than 3%. We are still repaying that debt but money can be borrowed now on the world markets for less than 1%. Where are our friends in that respect? We needed those friends but they were nowhere.

We got lectures, as did the British people after Brexit. These people forget that we are meant to be autonomous states and we will do as we wish. We respect the wishes of our electorate. The noise and soundings from President Donald Tusk and others since Brexit have led us to our current impasse. They should be a bit more conciliatory and respectful of the fact that we have our independence, which was hard-fought, and we want to maintain it. It is not about linking to rag-tag coalitions with deadly intentions and that carry out acts of war.

Deputy Chambers and others spoke about surveillance.

3 o’clock

I too have concerns about some of the people coming into the country, but we cannot close our borders to those who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances. I have visited Lebanon and met the refugees there. I saw plenty of old women and young children but no men because they had either been slaughtered, were in hiding or had gone off to join ISIS or some other group. We cannot reject the people in question in their time of need. During the Great Famine Irish people arriving on famine ships were received in the United States, Britain and elsewhere. We must have a more in-depth and thorough examination of what is causing the crises in these strife-ridden areas. Much of it is a consequence of actions taken by the armaments industries in large countries. The Americans and others who went into Syria in an attempt to get rid of President al-Assad and establish a new regime are the same people who supplied the guys on the other side with guns and equipment. It is a daylight con job, with desperate implications for the people of Syria.

We must show humanity, respect and compassion. Above all, we must maintain our neutrality. A previous speaker referred to Éamon de Valera who surely must be spinning in his grave. We all know the approach he took in the Second World War. Now, however, we are, apparently, happy to sign up to everything that is put in front of us. When we are told to jump, we ask, "How high?" and sign the papers, for which we receive a pat on the back and perhaps a meal and a celebration. The Irish are the good boys of Europe, but where are our thanks for it? I will not say the word I would like to use to describe the thanks we get, but it starts with an "S".

We are proposing to put our soldiers into unknown territories, possibly without proper equipment. Soldiers who participated in a previous United Nations mission were rightly honoured in Galway last week. It took 60 years to have their contribution recognised. We are now facing a situation where Irish soldiers will be sent into conflict zones without proper training and knowledge and without adequate support for their families at home. I am all for ensuring the Army, the FCA and the Reserve Defence Force are properly equipped, trained and clothed and given adequate remuneration for their service to the country and the United Nations. The Defence Forces enjoy worldwide respect for the service they have given in many locations. However, the more we get sucked into these quangos or outfits, the less respect there will be for our forces and neutral position.

We must go back to the drawing board on this proposal. The Taoiseach is not in the Chamber, but I ask him to withdraw the motion before it is put to a vote. I appeal to the erstwhile colleague sitting to my right, Deputy Seán Haughey, that his party reconsider its position, having regard to its roots and the struggles of its founder.

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