Reopening Ireland’s Tehran embassy
Senator Leyden urges the Government to reopen Ireland’s embassy in Tehran following the international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme.
I support Senator Mac Conghail's motion on the Order Paper. My party supports it fully, as I did last week. I agree with him that there has been a lack of action as far as the Irish Government is concerned. It has not been treated with much respect by the Egyptian Government in this regard.
The Greek people have hard decisions to make. They should be wary of the European Union bearing gifts. Some of the gifts are from the Irish taxpayer and as much as €1.5 billion could be involved in this regard. It is very hard medicine for the Greek people to swallow after having a referendum and electing a left wing government. In fact, what they needed were steady hands like those of the former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, and the former Minister for Finance, the late Brian Lenihan, who steered the ship of State so carefully through troubled waters.
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The Greeks would be well and truly up on the rocks.
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It proved the point that the money would have run out and we would have been in dire straits, with no reputation internationally. What company would invest in Greece when there is such uncertainty at present?
I welcome the announcement at 11 o'clock this morning that following discussions, an agreement has been reached with the Republic of Iran on its nuclear programme. I ask the Leader to call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Government to reopen the embassy in Tehran. It was irresponsible of this Government to close that embassy. As a former Minister of State with responsibility for trade, I visited Iran and found we were building up a great relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was damaged by the premature closure of the embassy. I call for an immediate reopening of this embassy. Our links with Iran are a counteraction to the ISIL proposals because the Islamic Republic of Iran is an Islamic state, controlled by the Ayatollah with a limited democracy.
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They have no legislative democracy. The candidates are chosen. That is not democracy.
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I accept Senator Norris's point because we discussed this matter in Kenya and we criticised that government's actions in relation to minority groups.