Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Senator Mansergh. I was taken aback by the text of the motion. I am sure the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, was equally surprised by the text. I agree that all good governments should have an ethical foreign policy and that it should be the basic tenet with which any sophisticated, democratic nation conducts its foreign affairs. However, I am surprised that Senator Norris believes this Government must develop such a policy because usually he is fair in his assessments. He appears to be misguided. The Minister, his Department and the Government have been pursuing an ethical foreign policy.

Consider some of the issues the Department has been working on recently. The Minister outlined them earlier. The Department and the Minister have been pushing for the United Nations Security Council to consider further measures against Sudan. It is seeking to ensure that the country has sufficient peacekeeping support and humanitarian aid, and that the vulnerable people of Darfur are protected. What is this, if not an ethical foreign policy? The Senator will acknowledge that there is little economic or other selfish interest to be gained by the Government in these endeavours. Was the provision of €5 million in funding to the African Union mission that is helping peace building in Sudan also not an ethical act? What about the €29.7 million that has been provided in emergency and recovery funding to Sudan by the Government since 2004?

These are not the only recent examples of ethical activity. The Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, took the opportunity of the recent EU and Association of South East Asian Nations meeting to raise Ireland's concern about the human rights situation in Burma and to call for the release of prominent political prisoners. These concerns were expressed directly to the Foreign Minister of Burma.

Earlier today the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, again emphasised the ethical nature of the Government's foreign policy when he stated the Government's opposition to nuclear weaponry and urged the nuclear states to undertake a policy of disarmament. I could also refer to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, condemning the violence of Zimbabwe, the new five-year multi-annual agreement the Government has introduced for the aid agency, Christian Aid, or the pledge of extra funding for the United Nations assistance mission in Iraq. The examples of the Government being ethical are endless. We can consider the active participation by the Government with United Nations, European Union and the Council of Europe regarding human rights. On the question of extraordinary rendition and prisoners being transferred through Ireland, I accept assurances from the Minister and I know what he is saying is correct.