Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views regarding Iran's nuclear plans; if he supports the proposal for United Nations sanctions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46812/09]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent announcement by the Iranian Government that it intends to build ten new uranium enrichment plants; the response of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46857/09]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding discussions between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Iranian Government. [47176/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 41, 52 and 269 together.

I am deeply concerned by the Iranian Government's announcement on 29 November that it intends to build ten new uranium enrichment plants, in a major extension of Iran's nuclear programme. This is especially disappointing given the high level of engagement on the part of the E3+3, the EU generally and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in efforts to achieve a resolution of the long-standing nuclear dispute with Iran. The substantive talks in Geneva on 1 October and the subsequent IAEA inspection of the newly revealed facility at Qom raised hopes that progress was possible. An interim deal, which would have involved the transportation of Iranian low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for necessary refinement before being returned to Iran for medical use in an IAEA-approved facility, seemed close to agreement. It is greatly to be regretted that Iran seems to have backed away from its initial readiness for such an agreement and that it has instead consciously chosen to signal its intransigence with this new announcement.

It is important to recall that Iran has no nuclear power station, either existing or in development, in which to use the uranium it is already enriching. It is therefore very difficult to see how ten further enrichment plants can be part of a civilian power programme. The secrecy with which the second plant at Qom was constructed has also heightened fears about Iran's intentions, especially among Iran's Gulf neighbours.

These concerns are shared by the Board of Governors of the IAEA, who passed a resolution strongly criticising Iran on 27 November. The resolution urged Iran to comply fully and without delay with its obligations. The resolution also noted that Iran had constructed an enrichment facility at Qom in breach of its obligation to suspend all enrichment-related activities, and that its failure to notify the Agency of the new facility until September 2009 was inconsistent with its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement. Any attempt by Iran to build more uranium enrichment plants would clearly be a further breach of existing UN Security Council Resolutions calling on Iran to halt all its enrichment activities.

The EU has been actively engaged with the Iranian authorities since 2004 in trying to reach a satisfactory resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue. This EU commitment was repeated in the Declaration on Iran which was issued by the European Council last week. An intrinsic element of this approach has been the need to introduce progressively stronger measures which might persuade Iran to reconsider its position. This need is reinforced by the continuing refusal of Iran to comply with its obligations under both IAEA and UN Security Council Resolutions and by the current stalemate in the negotiations. Consistent with this dual-track approach, the Council Declaration stated that the Union would support action by the UN Security Council if Iran continues to ignore its obligations.

In line with our consistent support for the efforts of the E3+3, Ireland has always made clear that, in the event of continuing non-compliance by Iran, we could contemplate the adoption of further restrictive measures against Iran. Our strong preference would be for this to be agreed at UN level. If this cannot be achieved, we would be ready to support EU action. The priority for Ireland and our EU partners remains that of achieving through diplomatic negotiations a lasting and stable solution to this most sensitive of current international issues, one which also impacts significantly on the wider Middle East region.