Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I assure the Deputy that Ireland is to the fore in defending the NPT, particularly in the context of the NSG. On the US-India deal, not all elements are on the table and there is still a long way to go before we reach a stage where we will have to make a determination. There are strong arguments against this deal, but other people, including Dr. El Baradei and Dr. Hans Blix, have a more positive view on this deal. This was part of the reason I met them both when they were here, in order to tease out their perspective as relatively independent people. We will not take a final view on the US-India deal until all the elements are in place and all the requirements are in place to make a decision. We are not at that stage yet.

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