Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am going to go back to the Tánaiste now. Notwithstanding the fact that some of the questions have strayed into the other Vote from Vote 27, I ask him to respond to the questions on Vote 27 posed by Deputies Brady, Clarke and Berry.

On Deputy Berry's reference to the opening of a new full-time residential embassy in Tehran, I must say that I share his concerns. I suggest that it might be appropriate to press the pause button on that for fear that the international community and indeed, our own community, might interpret the opening of a new mission as standing for or representing a constructive development between our two countries. Having regard to widespread human rights abuses in Tehran and across Iran which we have seen in pretty graphic terms on our TV screens and also contained in reports that we have received from Iran, and having regard to the instability and turbulence, I think it might be appropriate to pause matters. I would be keen to hear from the Tánaiste on that.

I also ask him to respond to the questions posed by Deputies Brady, Clarke and Berry on Vote 27.