The United Nations Security Council will probably vote later this week on the new UN resolution which is nothing more than a cover to launch an invasion of Iraq. What exactly is the Government's view of this resolution? The Taoiseach said it was a political imperative. Does the Tánaiste believe it is a legal imperative? Leaving aside the real reasons for the war and the question of morality, what is the Government's view of the opinion of many international legal experts that even a second resolution which endorsed the principle of a pre-emptive strike would be completely wrong and inadmissible in international law?

Will the Government please stop colluding in the fraud that the imminent invasion of Iraq is about alleged weapons of mass destruction or to bring democracy to the Iraqi people? The real reason is to secure Iraqi oil fields for the United States and western capitalism, in other words it is an old-fashioned, imperialist grab for resources and control of the region. Now that this is understood by billions of people around the world and a majority in this State, why do the Government and sections of the media continue to collude in the fraud?

Is the Tánaiste aware that many people feel deeply ashamed that the Government is turning Shannon Airport into a virtual military and police state to protect the war machine which is about to unleash slaughter on innocent children, men and women in Iraq who have never done any harm to us or anybody else?

This is the first opportunity I have had to address the Tánaiste since she and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, single-handedly tried to restart the Cold War with their speeches of a week ago. Will she apologise for her McCarthyite smears against those who are working night and day to stop the horror of a war against the Iraqi people? Will she apologise for her facile smears of anti-Americanism and anti-Britishness and the various other insults she directed at us?

What about Trotskyite smears?

I do not owe the Deputy an apology as he makes no secret of his views on many of these matters.

What about the Green Party?

It is important the United Nations is effective and respected, which is the reason the Government worked so hard for peace in the world during its time on the Security Council and in the United Nations, in particular with regard to resolution 1441. We want the UN to be involved in any decision made on these matters. I will not speculate on "what if" strategies. It is not the way government should operate. We have to operate on the basis of facts.

In relation to Shannon Airport, some people appear to be determined to close down the airport in its entirety but we must realise that 40% of the income of Shannon Airport comes from refuelling charges. It is very important for the future of Shannon that we do not seek to undermine it by giving the world the impression that people might be insecure at Shannon Airport.

I call Deputy Joe Higgins.

Why did the Tánaiste not answer the question about the pre-emptive strikes?

Allow Deputy Joe Higgins to speak without interruption.

She did not answer my question about pre-emptive strikes and illegal action.

The Tánaiste is just as cowardly as the Taoiseach and her Government—

Hear, hear.

—in refusing to spell out their view on whether they will support an invasion of Iraq with or without a UN mandate. The threat to Shannon Airport is from their policy of allowing the military machine of the United States to use it for a completely unjust attack on the Iraqi people.

No, it is not.

Allow Deputy Higgins to continue without interruption, please.

The Tánaiste did not answer my question and she did not apologise for her inane insult. What does she mean by anti-Americanism? Does she mean that we do not like the Rocky Mountains, the 40 million American people of Irish extraction or the tens of millions of American people who are deeply opposed to Bush's war plans?

Hear, hear.

Will the Tánaiste agree that her smears were a cheap attempt to divert attention from the fact that her Government is unrepresentative of a majority of the Irish people in allowing Shannon Airport to be used by the US war machine? Will she agree also that we are correct to be opposed to the likes of Secretary of State Rumsfeld, one of the many Dr. Strangeloves of the current Administration? Are we not entirely justified to be opposed to his policy of war at any price for oil?

I call the Tánaiste for a final reply.

It will come as no surprise to Deputy Higgins that I do not agree with him. I notice he did not say anything about the American companies in his constituency. I wonder what are his views on those companies.

Hear, hear.

What has that got to do with anything?

Deputy Higgins, allow the Tánaiste to conclude.