Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

People smuggling begins onshore. Nothing is being done to make these countries sustainable. Their economies are in bits, more often than not because of western interference. Does the Minister of State accept that? We had to listen to the Fine Gael Labour Party Government support the bombing of Libya in 2011. Does the Minister of State admit now that was a major mistake?

The manner in which NATO, with the support of our Government, bombed the living daylights out of Libya in 2011 was a crime against humanity. It was nuts. We completely destabilised that country and many of the subsequent problems in the Mediterranean, including all the lives lost, were linked to that war and the incredible damage NATO and western powers did. Does the Minister accept it was a mistake?

Does the Minister accept that Operation Sophia is now a military-focused operation? It was different and we used to play a different role but it is now a military-focused operation, designed more to keep people out than to save lives.

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