John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and the opportunity to debate the situation unfolding in Iraq. It is timely we should do so because we have responsibilities we must face up to. We must creep out from some of the hypocritical rhetoric being promulgated in the name of the Irish people.

I am not a warmonger, do not advocate war at all costs and support pursuing every possible avenue to ensure that UN Resolution 1441 is implemented. Military action should be a last resort. As a nation, we have contributed greatly to trying to create a stable peace in the Middle East. We should congratulate our Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána who have contributed to that peace and played an active role.

The events now unfolding are not only a test of our individual character, but the character of the nation as a whole. In debating this subject, we should not be so quick to dismiss into memory the events of 11 September 2001 – a terrorist attack which was a chilling wake-up call for more to come. I have no difficulty in the use of Shannon for the build-up of troops in the Gulf if that show of force and flag-flying prevents a war. In that case we would have done a good day's work, in accordance with UN mandates.