Senator Gerard Craughwell- speech from 1 Feb 2022

Geir amathagad, Cathaoirleach. Deputy Leader, you're welcome to the House. Happy St Bridget's Day to you and to all of your friends in Kildare. I need to second Senator Ronan Mullan's amendment to the Order of Business. I would like to second Senator Flynn's. I'm not in a position to do that, so I'd ask one of my colleagues to do that for her because it's an excellent bill. The Richard O'Halloran case is over, thank God. I don't think anybody can be applauded at taking three years to get a person out of China. I think it was outrageous that it took that long and I certainly wouldn't be thanking the Chinese government or the Chinese ambassador for anything. It's like saying to a kidnapper, thanks for kidnapping somebody. It was outrageous, so it was in my view. My colleague Senator Wall mentioned Cahalbrouwer Barracks. I cannot for the life of me understand how any Minister would walk out, put a video up online and say, we're closing Cahalbrouwer Barracks, the most iconic barracks in the country. The barracks that Michael Collins left from when he took the state back from the British. So, bottom line on that, I think it's just a very, very poor show on his part. My colleague Senator O'Donnell spoke about justice for the Bloody Sunday victims. Can I say that I fully support that and I don't believe that anybody should be able to walk away in any amnesty whatsoever for atrocities carried out in Northern Ireland over the 40-year period. I do support a truth and justice system, if we can get one in place, but I do not, under any circumstances, support the Prime Minister of England's amnesty call. And I do believe that those who were guilty of crimes must be brought to justice. I know I looked at the Ballymurphy case in particular and to me that looked like a couple of thugs on top of a building taking target practice with real life humans and I think it's absolutely disgusting. It is no secret I served in the British Army, but I certainly would have no time and no truck with the individuals that were involved in either of those. And to me, it was a complete breakdown of command and control in Derry on that day. And I know that people in Northern Ireland don't agree with me, but no soldier can be ordered to murder. No soldier can be ordered to murder. I understand that. I understand that. Thank you.