Shane Ross (Independent)
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I take this opportunity to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, to exert maximum influence to ensure the final round of the Zimbabwean presidential elections is free and fair. This is not the first time I have raised the situation in Zimbabwe in the House. That country is at a critical juncture. The unsatisfactory presidential and parliamentary elections which already took place have resulted in what will supposedly be a run-off between the current President, Mr. Robert Mugabe, and his main opponent, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai, who has returned to Zimbabwe having fled it some time ago.

Given our anti-imperialist past, our neutrality and the fact that we have some history in common with Zimbabwe, Ireland has a particularly strong and influential voice on such matters. It would be extraordinarily helpful if the new Minister for Foreign Affairs, as well as taking a stand along with other EU Ministers to ensure the upcoming elections are fair and free, were also to take unilateral action in this regard. Ireland's voice on such issues is powerful and useful.

As a first step, the international community should ensure, having seen what happened in the first round, that independent observers are sent to observe this fresh round of presidential elections. One does not have to be a private investigator or a member of the special branch to recognise that the activities surrounding the first round of elections were unsatisfactory. There was clearly mass intimidation and there may also have been fraud. It took an extraordinary length of time for the election results to be released, which is completely unacceptable and unprecedented in any democratic country. The suspicion cannot be dismissed that the figures that were finally released were not authentic, even though Mr. Mugabe was defeated by some 48% to 43%. It seems this was simply a ploy to ensure Mr. Tsvangirai came in at below 50%, thus ensuring a run-off.

The concern is that, having ensured a run-off in this way, the current regime will engineer a victory for the incumbent by hook or by crook. That may not necessarily happen but there is absolutely no ground for optimism that it will be otherwise. We must consider whether the result of this election is inevitable, namely, that the President, Mr. Mugabe, will be re-elected one way or the other. Serious violations of human rights are already taking place in Zimbabwe, with members of opposition political parties and opposition movements being murdered and starved. All types of violations are being perpetrated in an effort, presumably, to ensure the opposition is intimidated and prevented from participating in the poll on 27 June.

It may be somewhat unfair to say that Ireland is doing virtually nothing about this but our voice is certainly not a loud one in a situation where human rights are at stake. I do not have time to spell out the situation in Zimbabwe. To say that the rule of law has broken down is an understatement. Health services are in an appalling state, AIDS is rampant and the life expectancy is a mere 44 years for men and 43 years for women. The economy is disordered and disorganised and food riots have already taken place. Inflation is running at an incredible 1,000,000% per annum. Displacement of the population is ongoing, with many people leaving the country. It is almost impossible to hold free and fair elections in the jurisdiction. It is unlikely, for example, that the opposition has been able or will be able to hold any democratic rallies. Mr. Tsvangirai was frightened to come back to the country but eventually did so at what may well be a high personal cost.

I urge the Minister either to take unilateral action to raise Ireland's voice in calling for elections that are as fair and free as possible or to ensure maximum pressure is applied to the one individual credited with having influence on this situation, the South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki. The Government must take robust diplomatic action to convey our disappointment that Mr. Mbeki's protests against the activities of the regime in Zimbabwe, if any such protests have taken place, have been extraordinarily ineffective. Mr. Mbeki has clout in Zimbabwe. There is a good deal of trade between the two countries, they share a common border and Zimbabwe relies on South Africa for a significant portion of what is left of its economy.

I plead with the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to give a response which will offer some comfort to the people of Zimbabwe that they have friends in Ireland, that we identify with them, that we deplore the fact that these elections seem unlikely to be conducted in a democratic fashion and that we will do everything we can to set that right.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I speak on this matter on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs who cannot be present today. The ongoing tragic situation in Zimbabwe has struck a chord here in Ireland, as was made clear in the all-party consensus on the issue in the Dáil on 15 May. Ireland and the EU continue to urge the Government of Zimbabwe to put in place the necessary conditions for free and fair elections before the run-off vote on 27 June. A credible election process demands basic minimum standards, including an end to the current conditions of pervasive intimidation and violence by state authorities. EU Foreign Ministers discussed the situation in Zimbabwe at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Brussels last Monday. In that debate, Ireland urged that strong political pressure on the Mugabe regime be maintained until the crisis is resolved. The EU has again publicly called on the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure a level playing field and a secure environment so that the results of the second round will reflect the free and democratic will of the Zimbabwean people.

Ireland continues to support Zimbabweans in a practical way at this time. Total Irish Aid funding for the people of Zimbabwe, including humanitarian support and health care provision, came to more than €17 million in the past two years. The Government is planning to continue this support, through UN agencies and international and local non-governmental organisations, in 2008. Ireland fully supports the existing EU measures targeted against those responsible for bringing Zimbabwe to its current sorry state, and would be open to considering any further measures which could be effective. However, the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy and the indifference of the Mugabe regime to international condemnation have greatly reduced the effectiveness of international pressure on the Zimbabwean authorities. In the circumstances, Zimbabwe's neighbours, who have the greatest influence, bear the greatest responsibility to act — perhaps South Africa most of all, as Senator Ross said.

We believe that African countries can and should show leadership with regard to Zimbabwe. I believe there is a strong sense of shock and outrage in southern Africa at what has happened in Zimbabwe in the past two months. On Monday, EU foreign ministers called upon the Southern African Development Community, SADC, to continue to engage with strong determination with the Zimbabwean authorities. Irish and EU ambassadors have been in contact with our partner countries in southern Africa to convey our concerns about Zimbabwe and our support for decisive action to resolve the crisis. Ireland welcomed the emphasis put by the SADC leaders on strict compliance with the rule of law and the SADC's own principles for the conduct of democratic elections. We recognise that the political culture of the region is such that much work is done behind closed doors. Whatever methods are used, our focus must be on the results achieved on the ground.

We support the work which the SADC and the African Union have done in monitoring the first round, and urge them to continue and increase their presence both on 27 June and in the weeks leading up to polling day. Ireland would support additional credible international monitoring of the election process, if this is possible. However, from a practical perspective, unless international monitors are granted visas and given access to polling stations and count centres, they simply will not be able to observe the process. If it becomes possible to send an EU observation mission to Zimbabwe, Ireland would support that.

The Irish ambassador to Zimbabwe was in Harare for the election period and will travel there again as necessary to continue to monitor the election process until it is finalised. We applaud the courage the Zimbabwean people have shown in exercising their right to vote on 29 March, despite the conditions in which the election was held. The Government strongly condemns the attempts which have been made to alter the election outcome by fraud, violence and intimidation. The Government remains committed to doing all it can to support a peaceful and democratic outcome in Zimbabwe. We stand ready to respond appropriately to any opportunity to work with a democratically elected government of Zimbabwe, a government which is committed to the type of reform that will secure the long-term well-being of its people.

Shane Ross (Independent)
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Will the Minister of State convey a question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs? I recognise that sometimes matters are dealt with behind closed doors, but if nothing of that nature has yet occurred, why does the Government not make direct approaches to President Mugabe rather than go through either the EU or President Mbeki? Why does the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Taoiseach not make a direct approach to President Mugabe to tell him, in unequivocal terms, that we do not approve of his activities or the circumstances in which he is holding elections?

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will put that question on the Senator's behalf to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Shane Ross (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State.