Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I welcome and join in the Minister of State's emphasis on defending the rights of those who are being incarcerated and those who are being made the subject of show trials in Iran. He has my support in this regard. I remain unconvinced about the viability of the negotiations with the E3+3 group regarding the issue of nuclear enrichment. The inspector, on behalf of the IAEA, has published a report that suggests that Iran is not proximate to the capacity for a nuclear missile. That is a fact.

Ireland is getting sucked into an unreal conversation with those who will not submit themselves to the non-nuclear proliferation treaty by way of inspection, such as Israel, whose official policy is non-denial, which I think means that it has capacity but is not willing to state it. I refer to President Obama's statements, in co-operation with the Israeli and Russian response. I do not want to be regarded as making the case for President Ahmadinejad but there is no demonstrable breach in the non-proliferation agreement. There is a report from the inspector to say that one is very far from a finished project with regard to material. This is a space that President Obama's Administration is willing to enter, with Russian assistance. I contrast that approach with those representing the European Union, which has an interest in not taking the same position as the advanced position of the United States in recent times.

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