Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the family of the late Gerry Conlon. They suffered more than any family could be asked to suffer. Mr. Conlon was an innocent victim of a notorious miscarriage of justice. Lord Denning could not even contemplate the possibility that the Guildford Four case was a miscarriage of justice, stating that if such were the case, it would represent "an appalling vista". It was an appalling vista and Gerry Conlon spent 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, during which time he suffered torture, deprivation and misrepresentation.

Following his release from prison, Gerry Conlon spent the rest of his life working for human rights. The greatest tribute we could pay to his memory and the memory of others who suffered miscarriages of justice is to be always on the alert in respect of human rights issues. We must accept that miscarriages of justice can occur anywhere in the world. I hope the Seanad will have another opportunity to discuss human rights.

The more we read the newspapers, listen to the radio and watch television programmes, the more stories we see emerging throughout the world, the basis of which we do not always understand. These stories tell us that there are thousands of innocent people suffering every hour and every day of the week. I am not claiming a huge voice for us in the world, but it is important that we use whatever voice we have. One never knows when it might create a ripple such that those who are suffering will realise there are people, particularly legislators, thinking of and working for them. It is in this context that I mention Gerry Conlon. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasail.