Danny Healy-Rae warns of nuclear devastation, urges disarmament
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae spoke in parliament about the danger of nuclear weapons, arguing that their use and possession are immoral and urging continued disarmament efforts. He quoted Pope Francis and cited the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), warning that non-signatory states must be reminded of the humanitarian consequences.
Main points
He warned that an atom bomb or nuclear weapons could not simply end the suffering if used, stressing the horror of their effects and insisting the use of atomic energy for war is immoral. He called for persistent action on international legal instruments of disarmament and for governments to keep reminding other states of the stakes.
Non-signatory countries named
He listed countries he said had not signed the TPNW - the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel - and described their boycott of negotiations as very serious that should not be forgotten.
Historical examples cited
He invoked Hiroshima and Nagasaki to underline the scale of destruction, and referenced children who came from Chernobyl with missing limbs as evidence of the human and environmental toll of atomic disasters.
Parliamentary appeal
He urged colleagues and the government to work together in parliament to spread the message that there is no place for nuclear weapons, warning that their use could lead to the destruction of the entire world. He emphasised that Ireland should keep reminding non-signatory states and push for the prohibition of nuclear weapons.
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I too am glad to get a chance to talk on this very important topic here today and to thank the two deputies involved for bringing this forward to give us this opportunity and it is very important that we all recognise the fact that an atom bomb or nuclear weapons, they couldn't end all the talking, all the work in seconds if it was to happen anywhere near us or indeed far away from us. And Pope Francis expressed the horror of the effects of that atomic bomb in Hiroshima. He said, we must never grow weary of walking to the principal international legal instruments of nuclear disarmament and including the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. It's very, the use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral just as the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral. And I worry about the countries that especially that didn't sign the TPNW agreement, the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. Boycott of the negotiations. That's very serious. And we should never let them forget it. And our government should keep reminding them and working to the notion that we must not use nuclear or atomic weapons in any struggle or strife. We must remember what happened in Nagasaki and the massive destruction that it created and had in man, woman and child and indeed all types of life, whether it was animal or fauna or anything. It wiped out everything. It wiped out everything. And it's so serious. And when we see the little children that came to this country from Chernobyl with maybe missing hands, missing feet and legs and limbs, it's so devastating what these weapons can do. And we must work together in this parliament to ensure that we get the message out there, that there's no place for this because we could destroy, it could lead to the destruction of the entire world. Thank you very much, Deputy. Deputy Prime Minister.
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