Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

I thank Fine Gael for reading the programme for Government so carefully. There is a commitment to a complete ban on the use of cluster munitions in the programme and in the absence of a full ban we will seek agreement on an immediate freeze on the use of cluster munitions, pending the establishment of effective international instruments to address humanitarian concerns regarding their use. There is a clear commitment, with which we are proceeding.

The issue clearly comes to a head as we lead into a very important conference in May. The global day of action to ban cluster bombs is Saturday week so it is a timely occasion on which to discuss the matter. The issue can be argued both ways. One can argue we should have the heads of legislation in advance of the conference or one can argue we should await the outcome of the conference before we put down on paper, in black and white, exactly what the State should proceed with. I recognise there are two sides to the argument. There is no doubt there is a genuine and strong Government commitment that is well on its way to being honoured in the early days of this Government.

I noted Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin from Sinn Féin wondered where was the Green Party commitments in this area, given the initiative of my colleague, Senator Dan Boyle, on investments. I am glad to state the National Pensions Reserve Fund is not investing in companies involved in the manufacturing of cluster munitions. That policy is well on its way to being implemented and I hope the National Pensions Reserve Fund will move even further to the kind of regulations and restrictions in place in some Scandinavian companies, where there is a blanket ban on investment in particular firms.

This is the direction we should take, be it with regard to armaments or other types of activities with which we disagree. Certainly, there is not too much sense in investing many millions, if not billions, of euro in health care for those suffering the ill effects of smoking while at the same time the National Pensions Reserve Fund invests in companies or industries which produce the cigarettes in the first place. We are seeing the start of constructive investment decisions and we could go much further in that area.

The Green Party spoke strongly on cluster bombs in many different fora. My colleague, Deputy Mary White, was involved in the constructive discussion of the Control of Exports Bill and my colleague, Nuala Ahern, argued very strongly for ten years in the European Parliament for a ban. She spoke about that in an opinion article in The Irish Times just less than a year ago. She pointed out that, historically, Ireland had led the way with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. We need to demonstrate that scale and commitment with a cluster bomb ban and we are well on our way to doing that.

It is a direct indication of the commitment of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, that he represents one of the seven countries pushing forward with the ban and is instrumental in hosting the conference in Croke Park in a month's time. At that stage we will see hundreds of delegates, all with one purpose in mind, to move ahead with the ban. I do not think it can be argued that the Government is dragging its feet in this area.

With the time remaining, I will point out the effects of cluster bombs. I will quote from a specific report by Landmine Action on cluster munitions in the Lebanon, which considers their use from 20 to 25 years ago rather than the most recent use of cluster bombs there. A gentleman from the west Beqaa region talks about hearing planes starting to bomb around him, stopping his car and going out to hide behind a large rock. He said:

I was trying to take care of my family. I could see the soldiers being killed by the bombing as I lay down on the ground to hide. Then I felt pain in my arm. A cluster bomb had exploded by my hand. The blood came out of my eye also. I stayed for 20 minutes lying on the ground. I tried to hold my hand. It came out of its place. I was holding my hand in my other hand. It was amputated. I thought I was dead. I also lost my hearing because of the explosion and a fragment meant I lost sight in my left eye.

This is the effect of cluster bombs and not only on adults. There are numerous accounts of children who played with cluster bombs and lost their lives when they exploded.

I welcome Fine Gael's interest in this area. However, I am of the view that substantial legislation relating to it will appear in the near future. I have no doubt that such legislation will lead the way internationally and will result in a ban.

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