Shane Ross (Independent)

I would guess that it would also be the same in the Dáil and among virtually every person in Ireland. Let us have no more truck with the French on this issue.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs should also come to the House to discuss the issue of Tibet, which was raised by Senator O'Toole, because it is a matter of immediate importance. Senator O'Toole has ploughed this furrow with a great deal of persistence for as long as I can remember and has championed the cause of human rights and debate for a long time. The Minister should come to the House to reassure it about this matter.

Ireland has a noble record in championing democracy and sending observers to democratic elections throughout the world. What is happening with the election in Zimbabwe, which has being debated in this House on many occasions, is a complete travesty of democracy. The Minister should come to the House and tell us what the Government is doing to try and ensure that democracy in Zimbabwe is enforced; whether he is making representations to the South African President, Mr. Mbeki and maybe Mr. Zuma to see that democracy is enforced in Zimbabwe; and what protests are being made about events which have happened in the past few days. These events include the delay in announcing the result, which stinks of an attempt to reverse it, and the treatment of members of the opposition who have tried to get to court and been forbidden from doing so, and journalists who have been arrested and harassed. The situation is very serious and is one in which this House has played a leading part. To his credit, the Minister has played a leading part in representing western and neutral interests in Zimbabwe. I hope that he can come to the House to tell us what he is doing about it again.