Cowen, BrianThursday, 20 March 2003 |
Dáil Eireann Debate
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We have not.
Not at all.
It never happened in the Deputy's party.
That is not true.
We answered.
I wish to use my 20 minutes to respond on behalf of the Government to some of the points and comments made by Deputies. Before that I would like to place on the record once again the core elements of ...
I seek on behalf of the Government the protection of the Chair. I am 19 years in this House and I am entitled to speak and I have some qualification to speak on this matter.
In relation to what we were seeking to achieve, the idea that one backs one crowd or the other within the Security Council was never going to resolve this problem and that is precisely the issue. If o...
The Deputy has had his say. What sort of an international order are we trying to create if there are people in this House who believe that the United Nations Security Council acts ultra vires when in ...
—and the support of the international community could be maintained to the greatest possible extent. That was an Irish achievement in Resolution 1441. I want to make it clear that we set the bar—
—as to what we would demand and we have stuck to that bar. We have decided— (Interruptions).
—that in the absence of a second resolution we are not in a position to participate in any military action. There was a lot of talk today about legalities which I will deal with in a moment. I will al...
The compelling political reality is that a second resolution would signal the unity and resolve of the international community and the clear legitimacy of any subsequent military action. Ireland would...
—I said it at the European Union Council meeting and I have said it consistently since. Today, at the end of these long months of debate, those three questions remained unanswered. Unfortunately, by t...
Deputy Higgins's behaviour might be appropriate in Trotskyite circles, but not in this Parliament. Ireland, as a council member, continued to work hard with others on humanitarian issues and these eff...
It is clear that, in line with our traditional policy of military neutrality, Ireland could not play any direct role in military action against Iraq in the absence of a second Security Council resolut...
Neutrality has been shaped by the realities of the world around us. It has been a statement of our fundamental attachment to peaceful means of resolving conflict where this is possible. In Ireland's c...
Whatever view we may take of the course that has led the United States, Britain and others to this point, it is surely beyond doubt that, once battle begins, we must hope for their quick and decisive ...
That is the reason the current arrangements have evolved. Those long-standing arrangements have been deemed consistent with the conduct of our military neutrality policy throughout that period under s...
The most severe critics of American policy, France and Germany, are continuing to make their airspace and other facilities available. Regardless of inconsistent attempts by the Opposition to draw comp...
Yet, we are accused of participating in a war while Opposition speakers refuse to attribute that description to France and Germany, who are doing precisely the same as Ireland. (Interruptions).
Clearly, when some elements of the Opposition are shown the inconsistency of their position and their attempt to redefine established policy, they are unable to take it.
The implications and consequences of our ties with the United States are deep and long-enduring. As everyone in this House knows, they are founded on human and family bonds, celebrated yet again over ...
The core of our neutrality lies in independence of judgment and in being able to make up our minds about what is right for Ireland.
That is the question facing all of us in the House today. Faced with the hard choice we must make, the Government believes that it is right both in terms of our principles—
—and our interests to take the decision we have laid before the House. I commend the motion to the House.
The Deputy needs a sense of humour transplant.
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