Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Does the Minister of State acknowledge the hypocrisy of moral suasion being regarded as the means for implementing such a code, for example, sticking with the area we were just discussing, German exports to the Burma junta, which are clear to everybody? Equally, for example, having listened to the statement we might regard it as having become a piece of wind, considering that the National Pensions Reserve Fund has invested in companies that produce cluster bombs. I gather from the reply given by the Minister of State that he would favour a legally binding code. Is the Government in favour of an end-use regime, in other words, a system of sanctions built on identifying end use? Second, can he tell us when this code was last examined? Where can I find a published document that looks at the massive breaches of human rights, in several different places, on the part of the German, Italian, French and British Governments? Is it not quite dangerous for one to say one would like all of this to happen, but it will not be implemented? The foreign ministers are aware of many of these breaches. At the next meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, can some of those who were in charge of these major breaches be confronted about what has taken place?

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