Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, for his generosity with his time and open approach to debates such as this, which does much to raise the tenor of the Seanad.

It is clear that none of us approves of war or wanted to go to war. How could one unless one was of a most avaricious or bloodthirsty mind? On balance, we regret very much that war without the go-ahead from the United Nations was precipitated. Be that as it may, war has begun. Therefore, it is a matter of taking a balanced view of what has happened and taking decisions. On balance, not so much out of gratitude or in connection with Shannon and so on, it is a case of considering the circumstances and deciding what the way ahead should be.

I recall an excellent debate in the parliamentary party. I stressed that the Government should keep the fluidity of the situation in mind until the last minute, and so it has proven to be. Despite what many have said about the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, during the lead up to the war in Iraq he tried to maintain strong links with the United Nations. I am sure on many occasions he stayed the hand of the president. I feel that very strongly, because by his moral nature he would not be committed to war or wish to see war at all costs.

I have just returned from a few days in the US where there is an appalling channel called Fox News. All debates begin by asking, "What do we now say to France? We say, 'boo," and there is a big loud "boo" from them. The way they are carrying on is just appalling. I regret this polarisation.

I would regret if our motion was seen to be in favour of the American position and of war, which is not the case. We are in favour of a balanced approach. Even though the United Nations will be very involved in other matters with regard to Iraq, I regret that its authority and the respect held for it have been diminished as a result of this action.

While we appreciate the jobs which have been created here and the long-standing commitment of so many Irish Americans, I do not wish to dwell on it, because it is a given. We must also consider our relationship with France, Germany and many other countries in Europe. I regret the fracturing of Europe because of this issue. I hope there will again be European cohesion. Over the years France and Germany have been strong supporters of the Irish position on many European issues. I had experience of this in my capacity as Minister for Public Enterprise. On many occasions the then French transport minister and I were able to put forward a formidable case for a particular aspect of a policy or directive. Our appreciation should not be one-sided. That is not the way to approach matters.