Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I take Deputy Higgins's point on the African Union. In the context of Zimbabwe there were elements of this, where the situation was allowed to continue in an unacceptable way and the regional power, the African Union, did not do enough to ensure the right outcome. It did not intervene effectively in that situation. The outcome was appalling as a result.

We have urged all parties to engage with the UN and the African Union mediator to achieve a sustainable peace. The political will does not exist to make the peace and the civilian population is suffering to a horrific degree. I am not in disagreement.

I do not necessarily accept that the International Criminal Court is an irrelevant spin-off or a spin-off that is becoming increasingly distant from the realpolitik of the UN Security council. There may be some positives in that if it worked in an independent way in calling certain situations. That has implications but it has achieved significant outcomes in other parts of the globe, not least in the Balkans.

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