David Norris (Independent)

I strongly support Senator Mooney's view on European moves on the embargo on arms to China. It is very important this be said, especially in light of that country's treatment of Tibet. We should try to encourage the Chinese authorities to engage in positive negotiations with the Dalai Lama and his representatives.

With regard to the North of Ireland, I also think it timely for the House to have a debate. Sadly, as I said in the House last week, the minute I heard that phrase from Ian Paisley about humiliation and the wearing of sackcloth and ashes, I knew he had thrown the whole prize away for the sake of a rhetorical, triumphalist flourish. I do not even think it is particularly Christian because the triumph in other people's humiliation is not Christian. It is not even biblical; the wearing of sackcloth and ashes in the case of people like Job and many others in the Old Testament was something done by them to express their grief. It was never something imposed by another party. I have no problem with a photograph and I do not see what is the difficulty. The IRA has weaselled its way around all the time. If it is going to do it, why does it object to confirming it in this way? I do not understand it. I do not trust the IRA one inch and there is no reason we should. It has lied many times and the Irish people are entitled to confirmation.

It may be unrealistic to require it in this session but early in the next session I ask that the House debates the banking system. It is horrifying to discover that in the cascade of scandals, AIB was covering up between January and April of this year. It has not learned and it will never learn unless it is severely and strictly taught.

I ask for a debate on Iraq. I note another appeal in today's newspaper from senior diplomatic sources in the United Kingdom requiring that there should be an account of the civilian death toll. This has not been done and it is an appalling cover-up. I am most worried in the last week by the frightening and terrible silence coming from Falluja. We need to know what is going on there.