Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, and I welcome some of his comments about Operation Irini. The detail he gave is instructive because it shows that these operations and their funding are quite complex. They often stray into areas for which they were not originally envisaged, but they also have to be dealt with. Our funding should operate in a similar way. The way in which the Government contributes to EU funds that are used to patrol EU borders in the manner we have seen in the past six weeks, and certainly since 2017 when Seán Binder was arrested, is deeply troubling.

I also welcome the Minister of State's offer to bring this back to the Minister. However, I would like to flag that when he does so, the Minister will say Seán Binder is not a citizen and therefore is the German Government's problem. I ask the Minister of State to remind the Minister that we are currently blocking Seán's attempt to become a citizen. He absolutely qualifies, but because of this case we are blocking his attempts to become a citizen. Second, I do not sit in the Bundestag; I sit in this House. We are responsible for how this House operates. We are responsible for how this House operates and for how we spend taxpayers' money when it comes to operations in the Mediterranean.

We are all aware that the motivation of charges like these against activists and human rights activists are to deter their work, to deter them from assisting migrants, and to make the Greek coast as dangerous, deadly and unappealing as possible to those seeking sanctuary in Europe. It is to create a chilling effect so that no help is forthcoming for men, women, children and babies we sometimes leave to drown at sea.

I think it was three years ago that Ursula von der Leyen said that Greece was Europe's shield in deterring migrants. I find those words deeply troubling. Even reading those words, I do not think this is what Ireland signed up for. I do not think we signed up for the prosecution of people like Seán Binder. I do not think we signed up for dragging people into the middle of the sea on a raft and leaving them there. I would love if the Minister of State could bring that to the Minister, so that we could understand the full extent of Greece's tactics here.

See this speech in context