Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. I also welcome this second opportunity to speak on this very relevant issue.

We firmly believe that if the UN was given more time the Iraqi crisis could have been resolved without recourse to war. There are senior European Union diplomats from all bar two countries who hold a similar opinion. If the United Nations arms inspectors were given more time we would be in a better position to make a calculated judgment in regard to a war in Iraq. It is not too much to ask for time. I cannot comprehend the sense of urgency which necessitated an attack on Iraq in advance of the completion of the report of the arms inspectors. They were prevented from making a calculated estimation of the actual weapons potential in Iraq based on their judgment of what they witnessed there.