Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Let us be clear about Ireland's position in regard to nuclear weapons. Ireland has consistently sought a situation where the world is free of nuclear weapons, and that is our consistent foreign policy position. There are two elements to that. First, we ask that all states join the non-proliferation treaty. I again call on those states which are outside it, including Israel, to join the non-proliferation treaty. Second, those states which have joined the non-proliferation treaty are obliged to comply with the terms of that treaty. This means they are entitled to use nuclear material for peaceful purposes for energy and so on, and while there is a debate about that, it is a different matter. However, they are entitled to do that only under the supervision of the IAEA.

A succession of IAEA reports have expressed serious concern regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme. This is why the situation of Iran is the subject of scrutiny and why the EU applied a regime of sanctions in order to persuade Iran to participate in the E3+3 talks and to have serious engagement about assuring the international community that its nuclear capability is not being used for military purposes.

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