Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputies for their contributions. I have one final point to make about Deputy Ó Snodaigh's statements. It was a pity he took such a long time to make his contribution. The reality is that our neutrality is not threatened. However, I ask the Deputy to reconsider in particular what he said about Chad. It is astonishing that any Member of the House would walk in here and urge a course of action that would result in hundreds of thousands of people being abandoned to starvation. Does Deputy Ó Snodaigh sincerely think we should leave these unfortunate people to their own devices? Should we leave them to the mercies of warlords? Should we leave the women open to rape, the children open to starvation, the men open to slaughter? Is he suggesting for a moment that the Irish people support his view that we should abandon them to their fate?

I ask the Deputy to bear in mind one thing from the history of our Continent. He should remember what Pastor Niemöller had to say about the cost of people's sitting and doing nothing in the face of real horror. The actions in Chad are supported by the UN but, more importantly, they are requested by every person with a sense of human decency. It is regrettable and reprehensible that Deputy Ó Snodaigh should criticise the Chad mission, which is a humanitarian mission aimed at bringing succour to people who have suffered more than enough while the world sat by and let them starve. Anyone who is conscious of the history of that region will know the cost of the suffering of tens of millions of people. Deputy Ó Snodaigh's comment is outrageous.

I reject the Deputy's amendment for all the reasons I have mentioned but, most importantly, because his amendment runs precisely counter to the truth. The treaty does not in any way affect Ireland's neutrality, which is protected in the manner that Deputies from all sides of the House have recognised. It is protected by the Irish people and that is the most important thing.

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