Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I also welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is not the first time he has been in the House.

I had no problems adding my name to a motion of Seanad Éireann calling on the Government to develop and implement an ethical foreign policy, but the interesting word is "develop". Nobody can complain about developing an ethical foreign policy. That is not to suggest that the policy is not ethical already but it suggests it could be further developed.

Irish people have been proud of our foreign policy over the years. I recall that Frank Aiken stood out against the general foreign policy line by claiming that we should recognise red China, as it was then known, against the wishes of our American friends. When Charles Haughey was Taoiseach it was decided not to support Britain in the Malvinas war. Senator Norris gives that war another name but people who have been to Argentina know the correct name for the place.