Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Acting Chairman, Deputy Broughan, on his re-election and the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, on her appointment. I wish both of them well and hope they enjoy good health. It is a great honour for me, my family and people in Longford-Westmeath who voted for me to make my first contribution in the Chamber.

Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, who has held power in Libya for 42 years since becoming the country's leader on 1 September 1969, is one of the longest serving rulers in history. As Deputies are aware, long-serving leaders become corrupt because power corrupts. Colonel Gadaffi's government has been denounced by the West for opposing dissidents, engaging in state sponsored terrorism, assassinating expatriate opposition leaders and crass nepotism which allowed him and his family to amass a multi-billion dollar fortune.

Last month, major political protests inspired by recent pro-democracy events in Tunisia, Egypt and other parts of the Arab world broke out against Colonel Gadaffi's Government. These protests developed into a hostile general uprising against the colonel who vowed to die a martyr. It is reprehensible that Colonel Gadaffi would pledge to fight to the death against his own people.

The priority of the international community must be to protect the most vulnerable inside Libya and those who fled and are now living as refugees on the Libyan border. Humanitarian access to the country has been severely restricted for several weeks. As a result, humanitarian agencies have been unable to assess the scale of the needs of the population. Food availability is fast becoming a serious problem. Access to the country is vital to assist those who have been injured in the violence of recent weeks. Doctors have described desperate scenes as they struggle, in some cases without power, to cope with the numbers of injured. We have heard of surgeons who have been forced, through lack of space, to operate on corridors to try to remove bullets or treat shrapnel wounds.

It is worrying that all international humanitarian agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins sans Frontières have withdrawn from the east of Libya. Ireland's humanitarian response has focused on providing support for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to which we have provided 100 tents and 18,500 blankets for use on the border with Tunisia. We have also provided funding to the International Organization for Migration for the repatriation of third country nationals caught up in the crisis. The Irish contribution to date amounts to €650,000. It is estimated that more than 300,000, mainly migrant workers, have fled across the borders with Egypt and Tunisia in recent weeks.

President Obama is fast becoming unpopular and is coming under attack domestically because of the cost of the Libyan operation and its uncertain future. The French Foreign Minister, Alain Juppé, however, has issued a reassuring statement indicating that the destruction of Colonel Gadaffi's military capacity will be achieved in a matter of days rather than months. I commend the international community on its prompt response. The Irish Government should use every influence to ensure the protection of civilians. Colonel Gadaffi must recognise the popular uprising in Libya and must surrender power. The international response demands an end to all violence and a political solution that reflects the wishes and rights of the Libyan, and all Arab people. Change that is sweeping across the Arab region is irreversible.

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