Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

There is a multinational force in Iraq. The UN, by unanimous vote of the Security Council, authorised the continuation of the multinational force. This is something the Deputy and his colleagues tend to forget. When America and the UK originally entered Iraq, we did not support their action. However, the UN subsequently passed a number of resolutions — the most recent of these was the subject of a unanimous vote — to allow Iraq to be rebuilt and to permit the Iraqi people to assume responsibility for their destiny. The international force is in place, with a full UN mandate with which we comply. Regardless of whether the Deputy likes it, that is the Government's position.

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