Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I am privileged to have been involved in this debate and I am happy to have been present throughout because it has been profound and balanced. There was a diversity of views and opinions, which I expected, but the one over-riding message was that we should do everything possible to avoid war. For that reason, it is important the House debated the issue. It was timely, too, because additional information was available today that the Lower House did not have when it debated the issue

I am heartened and believe this debate will reinforce me, the Government, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Taoiseach and others closely involved with the issue. This helps us in our efforts at UN level to contribute to resolving the crisis. I have always believed our interest in this area is based on our proud tradition of support for peaceful resolutions of conflicts throughout the world. Ireland has a genuine attachment to foreign policy issues, whether on foreign conflict resolution, human rights or the role of international law. Even as a small nation, we have always been anxious to play our part on the international stage, especially at the United Nations. We can and have been playing our part. I thank those who underlined this point. We are dealing with a serious situation. That has also been acknowledged.

I thank those who referred to comments I made in Ethiopia. They were genuinely felt, having been there for a week with my officials talking to people where others were suffering greatly. Members may have heard me say the lives of about 11 million people are seriously at risk through no fault of their own. The country is suffering from a horrible drought which, combined with poverty, has lead to the situation where there are huge and immediate needs.

I made a contrast between the resources urgently needed in Ethiopia for food aid and the resources that can mobilised in a speedy way in the Gulf. I was contrasting the cost of a war and the use of weapons – at my estimation, about $100 billion – with the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia. I have no doubt that if any Senators had been there, many of whom have been on various missions to the developing world, they would have felt the same way. Since my return there have been some humanitarian developments. There have been more offers of food aid, including a substantial one from USAID. I have written formally to all my EU colleagues to outline the seriousness of the matter and will keep Senators informed in that regard.

We are determined to do everything possible to avoid war. The House will be aware of the consequences of conflict, which I have already outlined. The Government will continue to do all in its power to ensure we do not see such consequences become real. We know that Resolution 1441 was designed to achieve the disarmament of Iraq and thus bring about a peaceful solution to the crisis.