Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

A month ago today, the images that flashed across our screens and were transmitted on social media left us all feeling cold and anxious about what had happened and what it was all about. Looking at local people moving through rubble with their bare hands and local contractors moving in machinery and refusing to stop working until they completed the rescue operation was reminiscent of something we are familiar with seeing in Palestine, Ukraine, Yemen and during our own troubled past. They were scenes we did not get used to but they were frequent enough. Something really tragic, desperate and unusual happened in the beautiful county of Donegal. There could have been no contrast greater than that between the scene at Creeslough and the absolute beauty of the local environment.

I pay credit to the first responders, the local people and the front-line workers who helped all of those injured and killed. It says a lot about humanity and what human beings are capable of when we see such a brilliant response to such a really dreadful tragedy. I understand the counselling services offered to the local people have been accessed more than 200 times and that the HSE is expecting a surge in the demand for these services in the lead-up to Christmas. This is perfectly understandable. Christmas is a time for family, joy and togetherness. It will be very tough. All of our thoughts should be with the family and friends of those who died, those who were injured and those who ended up in hospital and perhaps are still in hospital or may have to continue to attend hospital. We should remind ourselves that the trauma they will have to live with is very deep. People may have heard Fergal Keane on the radio this morning speak about the post-traumatic stress disorder he has suffered and how he has attempted to grapple with it over many years as a war correspondent. We could not but be very moved by his advice never to feel alone and not to give up searching for acceptance and peace. I hope this will be inspiring to the families in the coming period and particularly to the survivors and those injured.

Many of us know the families of the victims and survivors of the Stardust fire. Although these were very different circumstances, we understand how important it is to be remembered, not to be forgotten and to have closure on a dreadful tragedy. Nothing can compare to the abrupt and untimely ending of life for these ten people. Really and truly, our hearts have to go out to them. As month's mind masses take place all over Donegal in the coming days, we should remember Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father Robert, Catherine O'Donnell and her son James, Leona Harper, Jessica Gallagher, James O'Flaherty, Martin McGill, Martina Martin and Hugh Kelly. Not to be forgotten is terribly important. People should be fully supported by all of the services that can be made available to them. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha uaisle.

See this speech in context