Dan Boyle (Green Party)

In agreeing an all-party motion on this issue last December the House felt it was doing what it could to bring attention to seeking the earliest possible release of Ingrid Betancourt. In returning to the issue today and speaking directly to that motion we are amplifying and embellishing that call because of the circumstances in which Ms Betancourt finds herself. It is believed she is suffering quite seriously from malaria and hepatitis and has been engaged in a hunger strike for a number of weeks to bring attention to her issue. As a public representative she sought to improve the lot of the citizens of her country and she found herself in this intolerable situation. As Members of a similar Assembly, we have agreed this motion and we are speaking in a collective agreed way today on her situation.

The politics of Colombia are very murky. It is difficult to identify where right and wrong and good and bad exist in terms of the issues that country must face. Other speakers have referred to how the Colombian Government has made things more difficult by its recent actions. The existence of the FARC guerilla organisation and its practices, particularly the taking of hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, cannot be condoned by anybody who believes in democracy. In the past there was a peripheral involvement of Irish politics in the politics of Colombia. Those who felt the need to be apologists for these types of organisations and tactics must speak clearly now on the situation of Ingrid Betancourt.

As has been mentioned, hope existed towards the end of last year that hostages would be released. Some hostages were released and one of them was the vice-presidential candidate with Ingrid Betancourt in the Colombian presidential election. Ingrid Betancourt, in addition to being a former member of the Colombian senate, is the leader of the Green Party in Colombia and she and several other party members were kidnapped. I had the honour of meeting Mr. Betancourt, Ingrid Betancourt's husband, at a Green Party convention a number of years ago and it is deeply disturbing that her kidnapping has been prolonged so unnecessarily over such a long time.

I am grateful to Senators for taking the opportunity to return to this issue today and for speaking so clearly and collectively in seeking that this matter be addressed. I support the calls made by other Senators that the Irish Government, given its unique position in terms of international relationships and its experience in conflict resolution on this island, seek to engage in this issue by offering whatever support it can, particularly in the context of the EU. We have already seen the role President Sarkozy has undertaken in making diplomatic and other facilities available for securing the release of Ingrid Betancourt as quickly as possible. If and when that happens — and we all pray it happens soon — we should stay engaged in that process and ensure the hundreds of other people who are similarly held hostage are let go immediately. We should offer the benefit of our experience in conflict resolution to establish greater bilateral relations with the republic of Colombia to help it overcome the long-term effects of its recent and current experiences. That is the role this country and Government should be prepared to play.