Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I have a short, supplementary question. Obviously the Minister for Foreign Affairs is casting his net wide. However, I referred to his speech in Warsaw, which includes the following statement:

International law has long recognised the right of states to take action to pre-empt an imminent attack. Preventive action against a potential threat, however, should remain a matter for the Security Council.

Therefore, what the Minister had to say on Iraq was misleading. Article 51 of the UN Charter enables a country to defend itself, to pre-empt attack that is imminent, but it must respond with reasonable force. In fairness to the Government, I understand that it was against the principle of pre-emptive strikes which led to the fundamental illegality of the strike against Iraq with its appalling consequences which are still obvious today.

See this speech in context