Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Arising from Deputy Rabbitte's correct comment about the horrific incidents occurring in Iraq, did the Taoiseach raise with the delegation the issue, raised in this House on a number of occasions, of the apparently scandalous fraud that has gone on in the spending of the money — €23 billion — for the reconstruction of Iraq? I understand that 363 tonnes of $100 bills were shipped to Iraq and that there was a case being made for a UN investigation into the serious allegations of fraud in the way that money was being spent and misused. Obviously, the visiting delegation would know only too well the difficulties being experienced by ordinary people in Iraq because no facilities have been provided with the result that terrorism and that kind of activity has cut loose. Did the Taoiseach raise that with the delegation?

Obviously, Mr. Balkenende's Government's time is at an end and a general election has been called in Holland. Is it the Taoiseach's view that of the small number of remaining countries where a referendum is required in respect of the European Constitution, nothing will happen until after the French general election and after the general election in Holland, a country where there were two difficulties in the context of its referendum result which were more local than European? Britain obviously has a problem with holding a referendum on this given the run in to its general election. The Taoiseach confirmed in the House that there probably will not be a referendum in this country until after the next general election.

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