Government members sought urgent ministerial clarification on Ireland's position regarding the continuing high child death toll in Iraq due to United Nations' sanctions against the Baghdad regime. Mr Michael Lanigan (FF) and party colleague Mr Paschal Mooney both referred to the television report earlier this week by journalist John Pilger.
Mr Lanigan said 4,000 young people were dying each month because of a lack of medicines, which were not getting into Iraq because of the UN embargo. The World Health Organisation and other bodies had accused the United States and Britain directly of stopping food and medicines getting in.
The British foreign secretary had stated categorically that he would not participate in the Pilger programme because he did not want to appear with dead and dying children. Thousands of children were dying monthly because of the actions of two members of the UN Security Council. "It's about time we took note of it. We should discuss this matter before another 4,000 children die in Iraq next month" added Mr Lanigan.
Mr Kathleen O'Meara (Lab) said what was happening in Iraq was disgraceful. Mr Lanigan should raise the matter directly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen. "We, as a nation, should distance ourselves from the actions of Britain and the US in this matter."
The leader of the House, Mr Cassidy, said he would try to have the matter aired within the coming weeks.