Rónán Mullen (Independent)

This day last week the name Robert Francis Prevost would have been known to very few people in this House or elsewhere. A week on, he is arguably the most famous person in the world as Pope Leo XIV. He has certainly relegated you-know-who to the position of only being the second most intriguing and interesting person in the world and that is probably no bad thing in most people's view. While the Pope is primarily a religious leader and, as such, his work would be beyond the scope of interest or scrutiny of Parliament, he is a huge figure and has already shown great promise in terms of his capacity to be a bridge builder, to bring people together, and to be a voice for justice, inclusion and decency at a time when the world badly needs such voices in high places. The goodwill that everybody has towards him at this important moment has been well reflected in commentary from all strands of political and cultural opinion. I would like to add my voice of congratulations and support and who knows, please God we will welcome him to our shores before too long.

Last week I mentioned the plight of people in Haiti and the dreadful situation that is unfolding there; the chaos, displacement, gang violence, rape, the death of police and civilians and so on. I want to emphasise again what is going on there. I have heard again from Gena Heraty about the death, violence and terror, with people unable to sleep in their homes at night where she is working. When it begins to get dark they go down deeper into the valley in an attempt to avoid the raiding gangs. A person rang her at 4 a.m. the other morning and told her to stay alert because there was shooting over the hill. Another employee living in the area where the gangs are shooting was hiding in the fields. They ran, as they put it, because there was shooting everywhere. Twelve people crammed into a garden shack and when they could not all sleep there, some slept outside. The police station came under attack locally, a neighbour was killed and others were injured. People and their children are literally sliding and rolling down the hills as they run for their lives. People are being shot in front of others. People are being pulled and dragged, kidnapped, and made to carry the dead bodies of gang members who had been shot. Automatic gunfire is keeping everybody awake at night. Fear is growing and swelling throughout the valleys through nights that seem endless. I repeat again my simple call that we would turn our minds and discussion to the dreadful plight of Haiti at this time. I ask that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade would come in to discuss that, and only that, in a particular session very soon.