Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We should not be wary of Greeks seeking gifts but we should avoid excessive certainty on either side of this question affecting the Greeks. It seems too simple to blame EU leaders but it is also too simple to engage in casual dismissal of the Greek people and their approach to taxes, etc. Many people will miss Mr. Varoufakis as he sails off into the sunset on his motorbike. I hope his successor, a man by the name of Euclid, is capable of the necessary political triangulation that might be needed to bring about a solution.

Senator Bacik rightly mentioned the anniversary of the massacre at Srebrenica, but it is also appropriate for us to recall that this is the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Today in the House of Lords there will be a debate on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with specific reference to freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and freedom of thought. Those rights are under major threat and attack in the world today. We should remember that the massacre of Armenian Christians, Assyrian Christians and others, and the massacre in Namibia of the Nama and Herero people in the early years of the 20th century, really began the story of genocide in the 20th century. It was Hitler who famously asked who remembers the Armenians. Modern-day Turkey does not remember them. It refuses to discuss to them to this day. It behoves us, given what is happening internationally, particularly to Christians, to remember the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

I ask that we have a debate at some point soon on the persecution of Christians that is occurring in the world today. It does not matter whether one is a Christian, believer or non-believer if one is being persecuted but we cannot ignore that what is happening in the world today is affecting Christian minorities particularly acutely. Indescribable horrors are taking place.Given our own traditions and our concern and influence as a small country non-aligned in many ways it is important that we take a far more vocal and visible lead on this issue.