Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To insert the following after "UN mandate/authority for the mission":

"and all maritime units deployed are subject to the obligation under international law to provide assistance to persons in distress at sea."

Because I believe in certainty when it comes to these things, I have tabled an amendment to the motion. The amendment is very simple. It states, "all maritime units deployed are subject to the obligation under international law to provide assistance to persons in distress at sea." It is a short amendment to the end of the resolution that we have been given, and I will press it. I do not believe and I do not think anyone around the Chamber believes, so I do not think I am unique in this, that saving lives in the Mediterranean Sea should ever be considered a secondary mandate of any mission. It is with that in mind that I will press an amendment, if possible. The amendment is important because this month alone, those involved in Operation Irini have helped to recuse more than 1,200 refugees and migrants in distress. That has happened four times during this particular mandated term. In the first year, the operation did not interfere in any way, shape or form. Much of this comes down to the decision taken in the German Bundestag to add an amendment similar to that in my name. As a result of that, we have seen rescue missions take place.

I want to challenge the assumption that taking part in these missions alone will improve the morale of the Naval Service. I remember visiting Haulbowline about 18 months ago and talking to our proud Naval Service men and women there. They were incredibly proud of the work they undertook during Operation Sophia. It was the part of their time in the Naval Service they pointed to as their proudest moment because they saved lives and took people out of harm's way. It is laudable to a degree to take part in a mission relating to an arms embargo in Libya. However, we must also be realistic. Looking at where arms are coming into Libya from the east, the majority come through the air, supported by the horrendous Wagner Group of the Russian Federation. We can see that we can actually play a part here by saving lives. We cannot simply say that we are deploying our personnel to the Mediterranean and that they should avoid people in distress. That is not the tradition of the Irish Naval Service or the Defence Forces. We place ourselves in harm's way in the name of peace and the preservation of life. I have tabled an amendment. I hope we can include it in the motion. It will actually make a difference to the Irish mandate. We will not be unique since the German mandate from the Bundestag is already in place. However, it is important that when we send them to the Mediterranean, our personnel will have a mandate from this Parliament to save lives. That makes a difference. I will press the amendment and hope that other Deputies will support me in respect of it.

Other points have been made about the Libyan Coast Guard. We have all been contacted by Médecins Sans Frontières. We need to be unequivocal in, potentially, passing the motion, to the effect that our Naval Service will in no way play a part in legitimising the regime of terror that has been inflicted on migrants who attempted to escape persecution in Libya or elsewhere coming through and seeking sanctuary. Some of these people have then been returned to detention camps and subjected to horrendous abuse, as highlighted by Deputy Howlin in his testimony.

We need certainty in respect of this matter. I am protective when it comes to the men and women of our Naval Service and the role they play in missions of this type. If this is a role to safeguard lives, then we can proudly do that, which is why I tabled the amendment. I hope it will be supported by the Government and across the Chamber, if possible. It simply brings certainty to and will substantiate our role in respect of this matter.

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