Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the strong consensus which clearly exists in the House on the situation in Zimbabwe. I reiterate once again our utter condemnation of attempts by authorities to interfere in the electoral process in Zimbabwe, including, in particular, the vicious and sometimes sadistic assaults which have been perpetrated against opposition supporters.

The second round of voting must happen quickly, in keeping with the laws of Zimbabwe, and in a context which enables people to make a free and informed choice about their future. Ireland welcomes the willingness expressed by the Southern African Development Community and the African Union to provide monitors to observe the second round of the election.

Ireland would support additional credible international monitoring of the election process, to the extent this is possible. The consent of the Zimbabwean authorities, however, is necessary in a very practical way. Deputies will appreciate that unless international monitors are granted visas to enter the country, and access to polling stations and count centres once they are there, they simply cannot observe the process properly. The Government will continue to press pragmatically to change the balance in favour of a positive and democratic outcome in Zimbabwe, a country that has suffered more than enough over the past eight years.

Irish ambassadors in the southern African region, and throughout the continent, continue to discuss the issue with our African partners when opportunities arise. We know that many of them share our concern and outrage, and our belief that African citizens deserve and demand the same standards of human rights protection and democratic accountability as we expect for the citizens of this State.

The Minister will raise the issue at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in ten days' time. Ireland will support any further action by the EU to help create space for democracy in Zimbabwe. We, and all of the international community, must act with the best interests of the Zimbabwean people in mind, whether that means strong public pressure, or intensive efforts behind the scenes. We support any further action in the UN framework which can have a beneficial effect on the ground.

We are not overlooking the dire humanitarian situation which continues to prevail and worsen in Zimbabwe. The European Union and its member states remain the most important group of donors to Zimbabwe. For our part, the Government is committed to continuing Irish Aid support to alleviate the sufferings of the people of that unfortunate country.

In this dark hour, it is difficult to be optimistic about the future. However, I greatly admire the resoluteness of the Zimbabwean people in exercising their democratic rights in the most difficult circumstances. I believe this nation has the resilience to resume the path towards development once the rule of law is restored, and responsible economic policies and governance replace the destructiveness of the current regime.

Once conditions allow, I am confident the Government will have the support of all parties in the House in offering Ireland's assistance to the Zimbabwean people in their path to recovery. What is happening in Zimbabwe is a tragedy. It is an awful tragedy to witness a country that once had all the potential of this country, with its people divided, its democratic institutions in disarray, its civilians being harassed and the democratic process being destroyed. It is a great tragedy and one on which the whole world should unite to bring to an end as soon as possible.

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