Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----will approve or not approve peacekeeping missions. It has not approved any since 2014. That is the bottom line. I mentioned Russia. I do not believe Irish foreign policy or our decision to participate in peacekeeping missions should be vetoed by a country like Russia. I will name Russia.

Deputy Howlin asked me what our policy is anchored in. It is anchored in multilateralism. It is centred on human rights. This was demonstrated by our performance on the Security Council for two years. Our policy involved a peaceful resolution of conflict, especially protecting women, in particular, in conflict.

We had a good record internationally, but listening to the Opposition one would imagine we had some sort of terrible reputation internationally. For God's sake, the Opposition should at least acknowledge the positives in Irish foreign policy. I listened to Sinn Féin Deputy after Sinn Féin Deputy talk about warmongering and militarisation. It is all nonsense and cannot be substantiated on any basis because Ireland has a good international position.

That is what came across in the consultative forum, which was not a packed forum. It is a disgrace to assert that and an insult to the people who turned up at that consultative forum and gave very important viewpoints. In my view, what was a disgrace was that Members of this House and organisations outside of the House tried to suppress debate and said that the forum should not meet and we should not discuss this.

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