Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I join with other Senators in thanking the Minister for Defence for coming here and the readiness with which his office responded when we contacted them about the debate. We are aware that under the Constitution the matter must be debated and decided in Dáil Éireann, but we felt that while we did not have the deciding role, we should have the listening role and the right to hear the Minister's plans. Also we felt we should discuss the people going in our name to Liberia.

The debate, which I have been following, has been very good. While not taking from others who spoke, it is good we have somebody like Senator John Minihan, who has the inside track and who has served three tours of duty in the Lebanon. Clearly he is contributing on the basis of a very rounded perspective on overseas duty and what it entails and also what it means for our people who are there.