This incident to which I will refer is the culmination of a litany of mistreatment of two Irish citizens by the British Army. Over a period of at least 12 months, since the erection of three barriers by the British Army on the culde-sac lane leading to the home of these two ladies, their fundamental right of access to their home in County Cavan has been curtailed. I understand the British authorities indicated in 1992, through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat, that the barriers would be in an upright position for most of the time but the reverse has been the case.
The two constituents whose case I represent this morning have, over the past 12 months, had to await the removal of the barrier to allow them to travel to and from their own home. Two barriers which could loosely be described as "light" can be removed by remote control by personnel in the adjoining British Army checkpoint. Generally a light barrier curtailed access to this laneway. However, on the night of Friday 11 June 1993 the heavy barrier was in place. To remove such a heavy barrier I understand that Army personnel and machinery are needed. At approximately 11.45 p.m. the two ladies arrived at their own laneway on the way from visiting friends. The heavy barrier denied them access and, having waited some time for its removal without success, they sought the assistance of the gardaí in the local Garda station. Requests to the British authorities failed to get a positive response. In the early hours of Saturday 12 June the two elderly ladies had to seek overnight accommodation in County Fermanagh. The barrier was removed at 11.45 a.m. on Saturday.
This treatment of two very honourable and gentle ladies who have both, unfortunately, been in ill health is nothing short of scandalous. I am glad that the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, following my tabling of a parliamentary question and contact with his Department, conveyed my concerns and those of the local community to the British authorities. I hope that the Minister of State and the Tánaiste will lodge the strongest possible complaint about this incident and the totally unfair treatment of these two ladies over a period of time at the next Anglo-Irish Conference meeting. Such behaviour is intolerable and officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice must be extremely vigilant at all times to ensure that decent people are not denied access to their basic rights.
Movement to the home of the two ladies in question has been unfairly curbed for their neighbours and for local medical and religious services. People, including neighbours, waited for up to 30 minutes without success for the light barrier to be removed and such incidents have occurred far too often in the past 12 months.
In general the closure of Border roads causes severe economic and social hardship. In the adjourning Swanlinbar area of County Cavan five Border roads which link Cavan and Fermanagh are closed. This is causing undue and unnecessary hardship to local communities in Fermanagh and Cavan. I appeal to the Minister of State to see at first hand the unfair treatment meted out to local communities in both counties. I hope the Minister of State will be able to visit us in the near future and speak to the local communities whose livelihood and existence is curtailed by the totally inexcusable behaviour of the British authorities.
