John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his speech to the UN General Assembly in September 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34477/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The annual national address to the UN General Assembly provides an opportunity to set out Ireland's approach to international issues of our day. In my speech of 26 September, which can be seen on the Department's website and a copy of which I have placed in the Oireachtas Library, I began by acknowledging the contribution of Secretary General Annan and reviewing the progress of UN reform.

I then moved on to key elements of the Government's approach to development, as set out in the White Paper on Irish Aid which we had launched a few days previously. I set out in some detail our approach to the situation in Darfur and the Middle East and also referred to Burma, Iran and North Korea. I emphasised the importance Ireland attaches to the issues of disarmament and human rights. As is customary, I briefly outlined developments in relation to Northern Ireland.

Finally, I underlined Ireland's commitment to playing a part in conflict prevention and resolution. I told the General Assembly that, as set out in the White Paper, we had decided to establish an Irish conflict analysis and resolution support unit. It will seek to harness the experience, resources and expertise generated by the peace process in Northern Ireland, our involvement in peacekeeping and the Irish Aid programme. Detailed proposals regarding the organisation and work programme of the new unit are being developed within my Department.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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In the Minister's wide ranging speech he said there was a need for further restrictions on the use of cluster bombs. Is this not just a pious platitude? Should we not be calling for a ban on cluster bombs? Is it not the case that currently Irish troops are in Lebanon assisting Finnish troops in clearing up the more than 1 million cluster bombs there? Should we not learn from that experience? Is it not the case that cluster bombs are part of the arsenal of the new EU battle group? Looking at all the evidence, should the Minister not be much stronger in his comments and have a more defined goal? Should he not call for a ban on cluster bombs?

The Minister indicated that Ireland supports an arms trade treaty. This is welcome. Is it not the case that Amnesty International has produced a number of reports which show that Ireland is already involved in the arms trade through dual-use weaponry? Indeed, according to that organisation, we have become involved, through dual-use exports, in conflicts in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. Has the Minister spoken to his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Martin, about the arms brokering legislation which was promised for this autumn, although there is still no sign of it? Can the Minister discuss that legislation? This is an important issue for the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

I was amazed that there was no mention of Iraq in the Minister's speech. What is the Irish Government's position on Iraq? When 100,000 people protested in the streets of Dublin, the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, said Ireland opposed the war. Are we opposed to this futile war in Iraq and does the Minister believe the United States and its allies should withdraw?

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I remind the House that supplementary questions on other questions are limited to one minute.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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There is a multinational force in Iraq. The UN, by unanimous vote of the Security Council, authorised the continuation of the multinational force. This is something the Deputy and his colleagues tend to forget. When America and the UK originally entered Iraq, we did not support their action. However, the UN subsequently passed a number of resolutions — the most recent of these was the subject of a unanimous vote — to allow Iraq to be rebuilt and to permit the Iraqi people to assume responsibility for their destiny. The international force is in place, with a full UN mandate with which we comply. Regardless of whether the Deputy likes it, that is the Government's position.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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It is the George Bush-Tony Blair position.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am glad Deputy Gormley referred to cluster bombs because Ireland has recently been to the fore at the Convention on Conventional Weapons in this regard. Ireland, along with a number of countries, proposed that the restrictions on the use of cluster bombs be tightened dramatically. In the context of what took place in the Lebanon in recent months, we condemned the use of cluster bombs. It was as a result of what we learned was happening in the Lebanon that we proposed, at the most recent meeting of the convention, that the use of cluster bombs against innocent civilians be severely restricted.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Why not introduce a total ban? I also asked the Minister about his conversations with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, regarding arms brokering legislation.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The latter is an issue for the Minister, Deputy Martin, and I will raise it with him.

Ireland would very much welcome a total ban and that is why we are working at the Convention on Conventional Weapons to drive cluster bombs out of use altogether.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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So the Minister wants a total ban.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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In his speech at the United Nations, the Minister stated that he shared the Secretary General's outrage at the failure to make any reference to nuclear disarmament in the summit statement. In view of his outrage, what is the Minister's attitude to the deal between the United States and India — which has not signed the treaty — to which I referred earlier, particularly as, in the context of the deal, there are questions regarding uranium enrichment and a number of other issues. What will be the Government's attitude at the forthcoming nuclear suppliers group meeting? Will it be opposing the dangerous deal to which I refer?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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We have not yet made a decision in respect of that deal, nor should we until the final version of it emerges. As the Deputy is aware, a special representative of the Prime Minister of India met me, and also the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, and I forcefully put to him my views on behalf of Ireland, as a member of the New Agenda Coalition and indicated that this is an issue about which we are gravely concerned. We have not made a decision on the deal because we must wait to see what will be the implications. We are concerned that it will have implications for the non-proliferation treaty, NPT. Much work remains to be done. I understand that the process to put the deal through the US Congress has not yet been decided and that it will probably be next year before anything happens in this regard. It would be premature to made a decision until we discover exactly what is involved.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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As of now, what is the Minister's opinion?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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At a recent meeting on this issue in Vienna, Ireland was to the fore in asking the relevant questions regarding the implications the deal will have for the NPT.