Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is actually a very good reason to do so because America has been involved in many wars. The figures are shocking. I hope the Minister would use his voice for the sake of peacekeeping rather than peace enforcement. According to the UN Refugee Agency, 79.5 million people were displaced in 2019. Of those, approximately 39 million were displaced as a direct result of America's involvement in wars since 2001. A great number of soldiers and military flights go through Shannon on their way to creating mayhem. I am disappointed that the Minister will not make it an issue. I would have thought it the perfect time to make an issue of it. This small country can stand as an independent voice for peace in the world, set out a new way and begin to remove the military presence from Shannon.

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