Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk on this important matter. I thank the Minister, Deputy Coveney; the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne; and the Government for being proactive in this regard. This was a terrible thing that happened to a Ryanair plane. It was forced to land. It reminds us of James Bond but there is a more serious aspect to this when we see what they did in the open skies to a plane that was not theirs and there were civilians on board. What are they doing to their own people in their own land? That is what we are hearing.

I am worried about sanctions. That government or dictatorship has to be sanctioned and it has to be rooted out. The global community must get together and root these fellows out of office, make it difficult for them and get them out of power. We are all calling on the EU, the UN, the United States and everyone. We must join together to ensure that this dictatorship is got out of office. We should get him out of power and restore an elected government in that country for the people who live there. Like Deputy Durkan said, it is so sad to see what these villains are doing to ordinary human beings. It is terrible and we must all stick together to root these people out of where they are.

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