The European Union spends seven times more than the United States on development aid. Is it now suggested that it should go down the same road and suffer the same consequences? Also, should Ireland's neutrality be dragged down the same path, suffering the consequences experienced by the United States? Retaining neutrality does not exclude Ireland from any decisions of the European Union on a common policy position or in relation to security and defence. Those of us in favour of positive neutrality do not advocate any strategy of avoidance as regards taking a position on the great issues of the day – far from it. It encourages us to take a moral position, the war in Iraq being a good example of a situation in which the Seanad can discuss and contrast views and ideas as between political parties.