Joe O'Toole (Independent)

My offer to the Green Party is that among us we will certainly find it possible to put forward an alternative candidate, for whom its party members might like to vote along the way. The seat should be left open in that regard. One of those seats was not a Government seat and that should be respected, as would be done on a local authority, to ensure the seat ultimately goes to a non-Government person. There is much to be done in terms of Seanad reform and this is one more example.

On at least three occasions over the past year I raised the importance of, and my frustration at the lack of support for, the Iranian opposition group, the Mojahedin organisation, which seems to be ignored by the West. This was especially the case when the previous President of the United States took the view that one either did business with that renegade regime or else invaded it. There is a third way which is now apparent, but we left it too late. We might have supported those people who came looking for our support. It is a bit hard to listen to Gordon Brown. A year ago his Government called these people terrorists and he was fighting in Europe to stop them getting recognition as a legitimate, peaceful, democratic opposition. There is much to be done. I ask the Leader to bring to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin, our concern that he would show support for the opposition in Iran and for the courage and bravery of the people on the streets there.

I acknowledge the good work being done by the Minister over the past week or so on the European project. It is good to see him busy, out there and in the media. I hope it works.