Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach.

I welcome Mayor Matsui. It is great to have him here. His presence is extremely timely, given the current chaos in the world. I also commend Senator Currie on taking this initiative.

Seventy-nine years ago, the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at a huge cost to human life. The attack on Hiroshima, coupled with the bombing of Nagasaki three days later, left approximately 250,000 people dead, many from the blast itself and many more from the effects of burns, radiation sickness and cancers in the aftermath. A total of 80,000 people were killed instantly in the Hiroshima blast, 140,000 more died from their injuries and 75,000 were killed instantly in Nagasaki. These are shocking figures we should never forget.

Michiko Kodama, an 86-year old survivor, recounted her experience of being exposed to radiation in Hiroshima when she was seven years old. She said: "I was in a school building when the tremendous light and blast shattered the window glass." Reflecting on the loss of her parents, younger brother and daughter to cancer, believed to be linked to radiation, she said: "Do not ever create any more atomic bomb victims." That has to be a central message for all of us to take into account today.

As others have mentioned, Ireland played a leading role in the path towards the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 1968. We also played a key role in bringing about the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was approved by 122 states in 2017 and came into force in 2021. What we have yet to do, following the establishment of the treaty, is to trigger a societal and political debate about the role and future of nuclear weapons, especially in those countries that possess them. The work of the Mayors for Peace has been crucial in bringing cities and countries together to remember the horrific consequences of the atomic bomb as well as in campaigning tirelessly for the disarmament and abolition of nuclear weapons. The figures are impressive: 8,403 member cities in 166 countries. That is a huge achievement.

When nuclear states such as Russia and Israel engage in war, the risk of history repeating itself if ever more worrying. In May 2024, Russia carried out tactical nuclear weapons drills close to the Ukrainian border. Israel is causing massive devastation to human life with indiscriminate bombing of thousands of innocent people. A genocide is happening before our eyes, yet many world leaders remain silent. Israel is now threatening to bomb nuclear power stations in Iran, yet the US continues to arm the Israel Defense Forces, IDF.One of the most frightening statistics in this ongoing genocide is that Gaza is 60% smaller than Hiroshima, but Israel has dropped six times more bombs on it compared with the atomic bomb dropped by the US in the Second World War. In other words, that is 14.4 tonnes of bombs per sq. km on Hiroshima versus 219 tonnes per sq. km in Gaza.

I must raise an issue with the mayor and I do so respectfully. At the 79th and most recent anniversary of this awful tragedy in August, I note that the Palestinian diplomats were not invited to that ceremony whereas the Israeli diplomats - the perpetrators of this genocide - were. I am genuinely puzzled by that, and that is why I raise it today.

I finish with two quotes. The first is from Dan Smith, the director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. He states:

We are now in one of the most dangerous periods in human history. There are numerous sources of instability - political rivalries, economic inequalities, ecological disruption, an accelerating arms race. The abyss is beckoning and it is time for the great powers to step back and reflect. Preferably together.

Again, I think those words need to be listened to. My second quote is from our former President, Mary Robinson. She was talking about both climate change and nuclear weapons. She stated:

The problems could be solved with political will. They are human problems. If we came together with understanding and collaboration based on reason, the long-view leadership that we’re advocating, we can solve all these problems.

I think we would all echo those sentiments. What is needed now, more than ever, is that we call out the wrongdoing in this world, particularly the horrendous genocide currently taking place in Gaza and now in Lebanon. No-one should ever have to suffer the devastating consequences of a nuclear bomb ever again. Diplomacy must work. Sanctions must be effective, and leaders must be brave.