David Norris (Independent)

I join with my colleagues in calling for a protest to be made about the statement of President Ahmadinejad but if the protest is to be made to the ambassador, we will have a difficulty because he has disappeared. President Ahmadinejad is somebody who is in touch with a different reality to that with which most of us are in contact. I saw him being interviewed recently and he spoke about how, when he made a speech to the United Nations — which, in fact, was in some ways a very fine and interesting speech — he felt that he was in the grip of some kind of holy emotion, that a light came around his head and that all the other ambassadors were frozen in their seats. This is not the kind of reality that most of us encounter, but it is what the President said.

I hesitate to come into conflict with my distinguished colleague and friend, Senator Ryan, but when he said the Iranian people used their freedom to elect this man, he is incorrect. They did not really do so because 98% of those who put themselves forward for election were ruled out by an unelected group of clerics. Therefore, it was not really an exercise of freedom at all. If an individual within Europe denies the Holocaust, he or she will face criminal sanctions. We should protest very strongly.

I strongly support Senator Brian Hayes's suggestion that we invite former taoisigh to the House. There are five of them, Mr. Charlie Haughey, Dr. Garret FitzGerald, Mr. Liam Cosgrave, Mr. Albert Reynolds and Mr. John Bruton. Furthermore, there are spaces for them here on the Independent benches.