Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to discuss the situation in Spain and the civil unrest and protests following the decision of the Supreme Court of Spain in the case of some of the people responsible for the Catalan independence process. As we know, the Spanish court sentenced these people to between nine and 13 years in prison. It has been said that this was not just a conviction of the members of the Catalan Government, but of the 2.3 million Catalans who made the self-determination referendum on 1 October 2017 possible. It reflects our own history and it seems we have a very short memory.

I have been following this matter closely. In April, at the request of then Deputy Clare Daly, I signed a cross-party support measure calling for an end to the detention of Spanish civil leaders, Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sánchez, and a recognition of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Catalonia. That statement did not express any opinion on Catalan independence. It was simply a defence of the basic human rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. By God, we in Ireland, including the Government, should know how important and sacred that is.

As I understand it, the two civic and cultural leaders have been held on an order for pre-trial detention on charges of sedition since last October. Sánchez and Cuixart are the presidents, respectively, of the Catalan National Assembly, ANC, and Òmnium Cultural. They were charged in connection with pro-independence protests organised to coincide with the Catalan independence referendum in 2017 and faced a prison sentence of 17 years. Along with Deputies Mick Wallace and Maureen O'Sullivan, Deputy Daly had met with the legal team representing the men. These representatives outlined the circumstances of their clients' detention. It was felt that the detention of these two civic leaders was a disproportionate restriction of their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.

As for the more immediate situation in Spain, I can only say that as a citizen of a small island nation which struggled for its independence, I am very sympathetic to the Catalan cause. However, it is disturbing to see the violence that has taken place in recent weeks. That I cannot support, as violence gets us nowhere. Hopefully a sense of proportion and respect for the right of people to determine their own destiny will be seen in Spain. It is a wonderful country with a rich heritage and a fantastic people. That is something we all want to see protected.

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