Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to participate in the debate. I have read a copy of the Taoiseach's contribution and it contains some welcome aspects. What stood out for me was that he stated that next week, we will have a first discussion of the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, drawing on an initial report. If we have learned anything from this time, it was that we were utterly unprepared for such a pandemic because of our failure in this country to invest in public health and our hospitals. We will recall what the World Health Organization stated more than a year ago, namely, that the failure to act, on the part of Ireland and other countries, was truly shocking. I would like to see a transformative action emerge from the Council meeting in order that language will mean something.

There are many other issues I would like to address but time is limited and some of them, relating to Hungary and Poland and refugees, were mentioned by my colleague, Deputy Pringle. Some 60 million people have now been displaced, the highest number since the Second World War. I will use the brief time that remains to focus on Colombia. I am surprised and shocked that the Taoiseach did not mention the country, given the level of unrest, violence and deaths that has obtained there in the past while, and particularly since April of this year. I acknowledge that the former Tánaiste and leader of the Labour Party is the EU envoy and that he is deepening his understanding of Colombia in regard to this matter as we speak. Nevertheless, our role on the UN Security Council is a very special and privileged one. We secured it because of hard work on the part of the Government but also because we are respected as an independent voice.

I ask that we use that voice and that, at the very least, Colombia be put down on as the number one item on the agenda of the next Council meeting. The figures are horrific. The latest protest followed on from those in 2019 and 2020, but the current unrest began at the end of April. Human Rights Watch has stated that 34 deaths occurred in the context of the recent protest, comprising two officers, one criminal investigator and 31 demonstrators or bystanders. There are many other figures I could quote but time is limited, so I will outline what two non-governmental organisations on the ground have stated. They are highly respected NGOs. They have stated that 43 massacres have been committed in Colombia this year alone, with 164 victims. They define a massacre as the killing of three or more people in the same place at the same time.

The protest has become a massive movement for change. I ask that it be put on the agenda of EU meetings and that we have reports back. Will the Minister of State clarify when the Minister for Foreign Affairs will report back to the House regarding his role on the UN Security Council? How are topics on that body's agenda determined?

We have a good relationship with Colombia. I had the privilege of meeting the ambassador in a different role lately. We have connections going back to Roger Casement. However, we have to use our voice on what is happening there at present and the unacceptable level of state violence or state-sponsored violence.

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