Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Fad is atáimid ag suí anseo, tá bean atá 79 bliain d'aois, agus a bhfuil ailse agus an galar Parkinson ag dul di, ag suí i bPríosún Luimnigh. It was very significant, even though it was down played by the media and by government sources, that the President's wife, Sabina Higgins, visited Limerick Prison yesterday to call to her long-time friend, Margaretta D'Arcy.

I refer to Article 13.6 of the Constitution which states: "The right of pardon and the power to commute or remit punishment imposed by any court exercising criminal jurisdiction are hereby vested in the President". Perhaps the President is considering that right in the case of Margaretta D'Arcy. For him to use such powers I would imagine he would need the beannacht of the Government. I call on the Government to consider the release of Margaretta D'Arcy. Although there are many people whom it is believed should be in prison there is absolute outrage in the community that the State has imprisoned a 79 year-old woman suffering from Parkinson's who has cancer and who is no threat to the community in any real sense. The Minister for Justice and Equality and the Tánaiste should act on this issue immediately.

This incident relates to the fact that Margaretta D'Arcy is attempting to draw attention to our policy on neutrality which is allowing foreign armies to use Shannon Airport, a civilian airport, as a stop-over while on their way to wage war. The airport is also used by planes suspected of being involved in extraordinary rendition. This Government and previous governments have always put their heads in the sand on these issues. There has been much praise for the development of Shannon Airport but the issue of our neutrality is never raised. Given that Margaretta D'Arcy has been trying to draw attention to the issue of human rights violations she has found herself in prison. What kind of justice is that? I call for a debate and I call on the Government to have Margaretta D'Arcy released as soon as possible on humanitarian grounds. This House needs to debate the broader issue of neutrality, why Shannon Airport is being used in such a way and why the Government is doing nothing about it.