Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim i dtosach báire leis an méid a dúirt an Treoraí, an léiriú bróin tar éis éag Niamh Bhreathnach agus an méid a dúirt sí freisin maidir leis an gcrith talún sa Tuirc agus sa tSiria agus uafás an scéil sin. Bíodh na daoine sin inár bpaidreacha. Cuirfimid agus tacóimid leis an Rialtas agus le gach duine atá ag tabhairt cabhair phraiticiúil do na daoine atá ag fulaingt faoi láthair.

Many people will have heard today the words "sound, accurate and appropriate" come from the Attorney General, Rossa Fanning, in the context of the State's legal strategy on nursing home fees. A lesson we can draw from this is that the State is not your friend; it is an apparatus of power. The State should not be confused with community or friendly neighbours. While I fully understand and support the right and duty of the State to protect the taxpayer in all these matters, the problem, as highlighted by Professor Conor O'Mahony of UCC, and no doubt others, is that where the State settles cases, it results in those who have the wherewithal to arm themselves legally getting settlements but others who are perhaps not in that fortunate position potentially not getting the same measure of justice where the State has been in the wrong. In effect, therefore, the squeakiest wheel gets the grease, and it seems that people have to be well heeled sometimes in order to get well oiled, so to speak, in such situations. Some of us would prefer a different approach by the State to its responsibilities.

I was deeply alarmed to learn of two recent cases in England that illustrate the potential for the crackdown on freedom of expression and even freedom of thought that I and others have raised in the context of the proposal to legislate for exclusion zones around abortion clinics in Ireland. We have seen that in November 2022 a 45-year-old woman, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, was arrested for silently praying near an abortion clinic in a public street in Birmingham. Although the charges have been dropped, she has been intimidated by this and will seek a judgment in the case. A second individual faced a similar ordeal when he was approached by police who demanded to know what the nature of his prayer was. When we have people potentially being criminalised for silent prayer, we can see the danger we face. In society freedom of expression and freedom of conscience should be respected. I raised this issue in the context of the Private Members' Bill brought forward by Senator Gavan and others. People have the right to be concerned about any efforts by the State to criminalise those who express their views peacefully, including by way of silent prayer if that is their choice. There are serious issues of human rights at stake here. Also in the context of proposed hate crime and hate offences legislation, we have to watch very carefully the extent to which the State might seek to encroach on what were previously regarded as basic human rights.