Don Lydon (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following:

—welcoming the political progress in Iraq as preparations continue for the holding of democratic elections under the new constitution on 15 December, and concerned by the serious security situation and continuing allegations of abuses of human rights;

—welcomes the outcome of the 15 October referendum, which approved the new Constitution for Iraq and looks forward to the democratic elections on 15 December for a sovereign Iraq Assembly and Government;

—welcomes the efforts of the Arab League in co-operation with the parties in Iraq to organise a national reconciliation summit with the objective of ending the tragic violence in the country and ensuring the full participation of all communities in Iraq's transition to full democracy, in line with Security Council Resolution 1546 of 2004;

—notes the unanimous adoption of Security Council Resolution 1637 on 8 November 2005, which, responding to a request from the Government of Iraq, reaffirmed the authorisation for the multinational force and decided to extend its mandate until 31 December 2006;

—expresses the hope that sufficient progress will be made in the political transition of Iraq to enable the democratically elected sovereign Government to assume full responsibility for security and stability in its country at the earliest possible date, condemns the indiscriminate use of violence against civilians and government officials in Iraq, which has caused such terrible suffering in recent months and is aimed at creating further divisions between the communities in Iraq;

—notes that the arrangements for the overflight and landing in Ireland of US military and civilian aircraft have remained in place under successive Governments for almost 50 years, were approved by Dáil Éireann on 20 March 2003, and are wholly in accordance with Security Council resolutions on the situation in Iraq, including that of 8 November 2005;

—welcomes the Government's policy of not permitting the use of any Irish airport to transit prisoners for rendition purposes, and the repeated assurances of the US Administration that Irish airports have not been used in this regard and would not be so used without the consent of the Government;

—condemns any use of chemical weapons in Iraq or elsewhere, and the use of any conventional weapons in a manner that is contrary to international law;

—notes the intention of the Government of Iraq to investigate conditions of detention following the recent deeply disturbing discovery of 170 detainees in an Interior Ministry building, and supports the call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that, in light of the apparently systemic nature and magnitude of the problems with the system of detention, the Iraqi authorities should consider calling for an international inquiry;

—calls for full investigation of all allegations of torture, ill treatment and other abuses of human rights in Iraq; and

—expresses its strong support for the courageous and determined efforts of Iraqi and international journalists to continue to report developments in the country in the most difficult and dangerous of circumstances.

I move this amendment with some reluctance.