Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

——across the table in Hillsborough and in the White House. It was not something he wanted to hear, perhaps, the first few times, but in any event we made that point very clear. It is a lesson for the future. As regards any of these conflicts, all the divisions within the European Council, the hostilities and difficulties in parliaments could have been avoided, I believe, if sufficient time had been given. I will not change my view on that. Ireland had done good work on the first resolution. I am not taking any credit for that because it was done by officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs. It represented a good effort and good work could have been done on the second resolution too, which could have avoided many of the difficulties experienced.

I hope it is a lesson for the future. I know the UN needs to be reformed and that there are issues to be resolved regarding vetoes, boycotts, etc. Having said that, however, I believe it could have been achieved, and was achieved later on, even in difficult circumstances when the war had started. People still sought a unanimous resolution.

On the security at ports, that has much to do with drug-related issues as anything else, but it is improving. I have no formal confirmation on Mrs. Margaret Hassan, but I fear that this could be the case. I believe the Deputy is aware of the difficult circumstances that surround this question. It has not been confirmed, but I believe it is Mrs. Hassan.

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