Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I do not agree with Senator Ryan that the position of the Labour Party is vindicated by the measures I am introducing. We have deployed our troops abroad since 1958 when no legislation governed this issue. Several Governments have done so since, some of which included members of the Labour Party. If it was necessary to do so then, the Labour Party could have changed the law. This Government considered it necessary to include an avoidance of doubt provision. Senator Ryan claimed that Fianna Fáil was a party of late conversions. I will not entertain the House with the history of the Labour Party and late conversions. I could provide examples of conversions that changed again once the election was over.