Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Following on from Senator Ward, the problem is not the Chinese people and their ancient traditions and wisdom and tremendous capacity. The problem is the evil empire that modern China, under the Chinese Communist Party, has become. It is at war with the rest of the world, or certainly with the free democratic world, because it sees that as undermining its claims to its alternative wisdom of how people can be controlled and how it see itself managing its society.

I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, who is a pleasant man and an able politician, but the first indication of the Government's response is the fact that it is the Minister of State, as the junior man, is being sent in to take this debate today.