John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

No, this has nothing to do with the Seanad, it has more to do with operational matters. That is the issue.

Will the Minister agree there is a broad remit in the provision of the legislation dealing with battle groups where it states the international United Nations force means an international force or body established, mandated, authorised, endorsed, supported, approved or otherwise sanctioned? Will the Minister agree that George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld have said their troops are in Iraq because their mission there has been otherwise sanctioned by the Security Council? In other words, this legislation has become meaningless — it is such a broad stroke, and it is a stroke.

With regard to what Deputy Costello said, I am interested in section 3(f) of the legislation which deals with the undertaking of humanitarian tasks in response to an actual or potential disaster or emergency.

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