Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I compliment the Minister on his first-class speech. It was eloquent, wide-ranging and interesting. The culture and drive of the Irish people was never to go abroad and behave tyrannically in other countries. We have never been marauders or colonisers. Throughout our history, we have gone to other countries only to educate. We are by our nature peaceful people. The same cannot be said, however, of all our colleagues in the EU, many of whom have colonised different parts of the world. That is why they are so rich and their buildings so exotic and elegant. Every time I visit London or Brussels, for example, I am aware that the beautiful buildings are there only because of the exploitation practised by Britain and Belgium in other countries.

This legislation imposes controls on the arms industry. I was not previously aware that Ireland produced arms. It is hypocritical that these provisions are championed by some countries at a time when a war is being conducted by the United States and others in Iraq in which thousands of lives have been lost. I was canvassing for a colleague last week in Dublin city when I met a man from Kurdistan who was granted political asylum here. When I asked him what he thought of President George Bush he said the latter did not invade Iraq to help the Iraqi people but because of oil. Every day, however, we are fed the propaganda that President Bush and company entered Iraq on a peaceful mission. The reality is that the instruments they use are for killing people.

We are doing our utmost to update our legislation to bring it into line with EU requirements. We know in our hearts and souls, however, that we cannot control where the microchips that are being made are used. I do not know what we can do about this. The Minister of State referred to the war that took place in Bosnia and Croatia. We all saw the television footage of Dubrovnik being blasted by guns, and many of us have visited that beautiful city since its restoration.

The way to solve political problems is by dialogue rather than by shooting and killing. When the British army entered Northern Ireland more than 20 years ago, its soldiers were welcomed by Nationalists, who hoped they would bring stability. What has happened in Iraq in this regard is a mirror image of what happened in the North. It is extraordinary that Britain has not recognised this. Its army went into Iraq to keep peace but we soon saw images of soldiers kicking in doors. Now there is civil war and a reaction against the British military. The people the soldiers went in to protect have turned on them.

Political problems are best solved by dialogue, communication and peaceful means. This seldom happens, however, as power struggles and selfish interests dominate. Where is the concern for ordinary citizens in these conflicts? In Bosnia, Croatia, Iraq and elsewhere it is ordinary people who suffer. The full story is yet to emerge about former Vice President Dick Cheney, Halliburton and the money being made from military contracts in Iraq. In the last five years, the failure of the major international players to solve by dialogue the problem posed by Saddam Hussein and the conflict in the Middle East has been disastrous. What ultimately had to happen in the North was dialogue. We must listen to people's concerns. Guns get us nowhere and only kill innocent people.