Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the students from Christ the King and, in particular, the teachers here. Ms O'Leary is the co-ordinator and she is very welcome. She comes with very special privileges. A former pupil of mine told me that his daughter was here today. They are from a great club called Na Piarsaigh. I will not call her out because she might be embarrassed but she knows who she is. They are very welcome. I commend the Christ the King transition year students here. It is a tremendous school in Cork and we are lucky to have a school of that calibre in our city.

I am glad the young women are here today because I want to raise the issue of LGBT rights in Afghanistan. Yesterday, Deputy Gannon organised a briefing with LGBT Ireland of displaced men and women from Afghanistan who had to leave because of their sexuality. As Members will be aware, in my case, as an openly gay Member of the House, I have the privilege and the sanctity and the freedom to come in here and speak my mind. I can disagree with Members about whatever issue but I am free to come in here and speak. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on human rights around the world and on LGBT rights. We are at a tipping point, in advance of the mid-term elections in America, given what is happening in many parts of the world, especially around Afghanistan where the Taliban, as we speak, are going into villages and asking the elders and families to identify and name their LGBT family members so that they can gain social credit with the Taliban as an example. Let us think about it in the context of a man or woman who is lesbian, gay or transgender in Afghanistan and imagine having to admit to somebody one is gay, to plan an escape route out of Afghanistan, to go on that journey, and then to reach a point where one seeks and receives sanctuary. My final point in this request to the Leader is around the issue of visa waivers from the Government.I appreciate and accept that we have huge issues around refugees and in respect of housing and availability of accommodation. I ask Members to listen back to this morning's "Morning Ireland", on which Basira, a 24-year-old woman from Afghanistan, spoke about having to come to Ireland. This is an important debate we need to have in this House not just during Pride but also now in order that we can use our seat on the UN Security Council to herald and promulgate change.

Thank you for your indulgence, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.