Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In my three minutes I will be as focused as I can be. I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for bringing forward this Bill. I support it 100%. In case there is any doubt as to why we need it, that was set out clearly almost 20 years ago in the High Court when the very courageous Ed Horgan took a case seeking to highlight what was going on in our country regarding Iraq and Shannon. The judge clearly stated:

Despite the great historic value attached by Ireland to the concept of neutrality, that status was nowhere reflected in ... [the Constitution], or anywhere else in ... legislation. It is effectively a matter of ... policy ... albeit a policy to which, traditionally at least, considerable importance was attached ... [but a policy that could change at any time].

We see that happening all the time.

It is very disappointing that the Minister used his long speech to say he cannot agree with this Bill when every opinion poll has shown us the people want to keep our neutrality but to use it in a most positive and active way. It was one of the main reasons we gained respect and got a seat on the Security Council. The Minister has left, and I respect he is always here for as long as he can be, but he chose to quote selectively from Desmond Tutu, the Nobel peace prize winner who died in December last year. He quoted him but did not include it in his speech. He said: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." I certainly agree with Desmond Tutu but I do not agree with the Minister using that to back up an argument against neutrality. It is a selective quotation. It was taken out of context. I and any of my colleagues here are totally against injustice, recognising that it is wrong and it leads to wars in any event. None of us are neutral when it comes to injustice. None of us are neutral when it comes to the illegal war by Russia on Ukraine. That is not what neutrality is about. If we are to quote Desmond Tutu, let us quote him in context, the man who was fearless in criticising all power, no matter where it was or the colour of it. He said he had been involved in the peace business. We talk about peace-making now, which is more war-making, but he had been involved all his life in the peace business. He said he had learned a lot about the business of war and I will come back to that. Interestingly, he also said: "Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are." That is exactly what he did. He spoke out clearly against nuclear weapons, the Iraq War, the siege of Gaza, the bloated military budgets and so on. When it came to the arms industry, which is what is happening in Europe today and has been going on openly - I note I am over my time and I will stop now in mid-sentence.

See this speech in context