Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

After winning a fourth term in office in 2004, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Right Honourable Mr. John Howard, became the most electorally successful Australian politician of our time. A popular politician in his country, he is the elected representative of a nation of 20 million people. However, his premiership has not been without controversy. In this decade, international concerns about the war in Iraq, multi-culturalism and the determination of Iran to obtain a nuclear capability have exercised the Australian administration more than most.

Australia and Ireland are bound by ties of friendship and family. We are all aware of the history of emigration from Ireland to Australia and that many Australians look to Ireland for their ancestral roots. Even in Ireland's more successful recent history, the flow from our country to Australia continued unabated, although these days our younger people largely choose to work in Australia as part of a one year visa programme. There is a saying that "Eaten bread is soon forgotten". In this case, it is not good enough to forget the support from brave men and women, many who gave their lives, and contributed to building the type of peace and stability which we so casually take for granted in the western world.

I mention these facts to stress the real friendship between our two countries. As always, friends must be able to speak plainly with each other and our Government should be able to raise with Prime Minister Howard any issue that concerns it, either in terms of our unique relationship or in matters of international politics.

As one pressing example, Prime Minister Howard's strong support for the war in Iraq will worry many, both inside this House and throughout the country. The war in Iraq took place without United Nations sanction and has not been a success — if any war is a success — according to any means of measurement. Fine Gael did not support the unilateral action taken by the United States and the United Kingdom, acting with the strong support of Australia, and which took place without the ratification of the international community through established mechanisms. The Taoiseach should raise this matter directly with the Prime Minister. While we have grave concerns about the manner in which this war was started, concerns that should be expressed clearly and openly, we must also address the dreadful situation which exists in Iraq and in which Iraqis now live. The international community cannot allow Iraq to slide ever closer to civil war, and yet the conditions in that state are so poor, and the actions of radical terrorists so frequent, that the appalling spectre of civil war is ever present.

However, we cannot forget that Australia was also dealt a severe blow by terrorism. In the bombing of a Bali nightclub in October 2002, 202 people lost their lives, many of them young holiday-makers from Australia. In addition, the question of Iranian nuclear development has been to the forefront of international politics and diplomacy for some time. I have long since expressed the view that Ireland, as a non-aligned and non-nuclear country, could and should have a diplomatic role in dealing with Iran as part of the international response to this crisis. I spoke on that issue in the Dáil on Europe Day last week, and I repeat we should not be passive on this issue. We should not allow the European Union position to be left to the United Kingdom, France and Germany, two of which are themselves nuclear nations. I am concerned that the European Union, in delegating the three countries mentioned to negotiate on its behalf, has overlooked some of the smaller member states which have a proven record in the promotion of nuclear disarmament and in combating nuclear proliferation. This matter should also be discussed with Prime Minister Howard, and the potential for Ireland's close involvement in seeking a resolution to this matter put forward.

I would like the Taoiseach to also raise the matter of Australia's access to oil reserves off the coast of East Timor which I understand are disputed. The East Timorese people have suffered considerably, especially in recent decades, and East Timor was finally recognised as an independent state in 2002.

I and my party are very supportive of the visit of Mr. Howard to Ireland, and of his upcoming address to the Oireachtas. We are friendly nations, countries bound by history, family and partnership. We are also linked closely on the playing fields. Australians are known to love their sport, and we have the compromise rules football series between this country and Australia. Being bound very closely, it is right that we should meet and discuss not only our similarities but also our differences, in a spirit of frankness, openness and honesty.

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