Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is good and important that we are having this conversation and making these statements because we must not forget our role in this situation. This summer alone, Shannon Airport facilitated the transportation of six UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters through the airport as they returned to the US from the war efforts in Afghanistan. Much of the ammunition, large amounts of weapons, tanks and even fighter aircraft that had previously been transported through Shannon Airporten route to Afghanistan have been taken by the Taliban. I am not sure many Taliban fighters could place Ireland on a map and I also doubt they are aware that it was from our shores that some of the most advanced and deadly military technology now in their hands reached them.

This State has aided and abetted US atrocities for many years. Since 2017, the number of Afghan civilians killed in airstrikes carried out by the US and its allies rose by 330%. Many of these bombs fell on the ordinary Afghan population for whom this Government is now expressing concern. We have also - admittedly, unwittingly - placed deadly weapons in the hands of the Taliban who may, and are likely to, carry out future atrocities against their own citizens. Why was this State, which is supposedly neutral - I agree with Deputy Haughey's earlier comments in this regard - so willing to act as a US accomplice? The Minister is just as aware of the whole issue around Shannon Airport as I am. We should bear in mind that the US offered to pull out of Shannon and Fianna Fáil said "No". Not only were other options available to the US, but it had already begun using them. For example, Prestwick, near Glasgow, had been increasingly used by the US military for refuelling purposes in recent years.

We also need to think about what the reality of this is for people, including children. Only last week, I read a report in TheGuardiandescribing how 86 children were killed by British forces. Britain will now have to pay compensation for that. As I have said before in this Chamber, and I am sure I will say it again, we do not have the luxury to say we do not know or do not understand because we do. We need to do better.

I raise an issue with the Minister that I have raised previously, namely, the case of Julian Assange. Mr. Assange is due to appear in court on 27 and 28 October. I am aware that the Minister has meetings with people. I ask him to raise-----

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