Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

I assure the Minister that I am not paranoid about anything. I am aware that the conditions for women and most ordinary Afghani people are deplorable now, as they were when the Taliban ruled the roost. The US appointed regime has also been shown to have let down ordinary people.

Will the Minister comment on the fact that the, so called, peace-keeping role of the ISAF has been shown to be fraudulent? The international police training role, in which Irish police participate, has not been a success. It has cost $29 billion since the Taliban were defeated in 2001 and yet that country remains a total mess. The force has been found to be routinely torturing prisoners and to be corrupt. How can the Minister approve the participation of Irish forces in such a force?

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