July commemorations and naval cover
Senator Craughwell spoke about July remembrance events and later, after being told he was out of time, added a point about the seizure of €30 million in drugs and the need for stronger naval coverage.
The weekend of 12 and 13 July is a weekend of commemoration and remembrance. The Royal British Legion's annual event at Islandbridge takes place on 12 July and the Irish commemoration takes place on Sunday, 13 July. As president of the Connaught Rangers Association and a former member of the Royal Irish Rangers, I will be there. I encourage people to be there. As a nation, we have grown up, and we have started to commemorate our fallen. Several thousand of our countrymen died during the First World War and Second World War. I recently had a visit from representatives of the Korean War cemetery, where several members of the Royal Ulster Rifles lie since the Korean War. It is important that we remember Irishmen who died in the name of peace.
I also want to remark on the tremendous work done by our security services, whether in the Garda, Customs and Excise, Naval Service or Air Corps, in arresting drug runners in County Kerry. I am sorry, I think it was Cork. Cork or Kerry, what is the difference?
Comment on this
It was €30 million worth, nonetheless. It is wonderful to see how the security services can work together to stop gun runners and drug runners. The sad thing is that we do not have sufficient naval cover to cover the entire coast.