Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I join in the welcome to the Minister of State and thank him and the Minister for Foreign Affairs for their work on this delicate and sensitive issue. I was honoured to have been selected with Deputy Michael Higgins to visit Iraq from 22-28 January. I thank the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs which was unanimous in proposing that we visit the country. Our first objective was to assess the Iraqi response to the United Nations resolutions and press for full compliance with them. There were other issues at which we wanted to look, in particular, the ongoing humanitarian impact of the economic sanctions on the civilian population, the operation of the United Nations Oil for Food Programme and the preparedness of the international aid agencies in relation to the delivery of humanitarian relief.

I came away from Iraq very concerned about the position on sanctions, the effect of which we witnessed in the Saddam General Hospital in Baghdad. Half the population of Iraq is under 15 years of age. Obviously, children have borne the brunt of the sanctions for 12 years with many suffering from leukaemia, cancer and black fever. The doctors who spoke to us trained in London and the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and said if they had the 20 day treatment for black fever recommended, they would be able to deal successfully with that contagious disease. They found that the cocktail of drugs needed for treatment was never fully available to them. Similarly, parts of ventilators and incubators were missing when they looked for this important equipment.

The international community must take more interest in the question of sanctions against Iraq. The sanctions have been described by Professor Joy Gordon as weapons of mass destruction. The 661 committee has withheld some of the treatments. It is known as the dual use list. Products such as chlorine, which is badly needed for water treatment, cannot be allowed into the country as a result. Lead, which is used in pencils and a basic item for education, is not allowed in also. We have to make a strong case on the question of sanctions and I hope the Government will take up the issue.