War must have UN backing, says Ahern

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern last night said a second United Nations resolution before any military action against Iraq was a political imperative.

But Mr Ahern is still refusing to state whether the Government will halt the use of Shannon Airport by the US military if the Bush administration undertakes unilateral action against Saddam Hussein without UN backing.

Maintaining the authority and the primacy of the UN was the priority for this country, Mr Ahern said.

The US has indicated it does not need another resolution to go to war with Iraq, but Mr Ahern said other countries, including Ireland, had another point of view.

But Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Taoiseach should reflect the views of the 100,000 peace marchers and the majority of the population and state clearly that the Government was opposed to unilateral action.

The supposed internal opposition from Fianna Fáil backbenchers to the Government’s position failed to materialise yesterday as FF unanimously backed the Taoiseach’s stance.

Expressing full confidence in the efforts of Mr Ahern and Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen, the parliamentary party unanimously passed a motion calling for a second resolution from the UN Security Council prior to the consideration of military action against Iraq.

FF parliamentary party chairman Seamus Kirk said the debate of the party’s TD’s and senators on the issue was not critical of Government policy but was supportive of Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen.

Stating that 24 members of the party spoke, Mr Kirk said it was one of the most constructive debates in a long time.

“The attitude was that we are in a fluid situation. There wasn’t any trenchant criticism,” he said.

Government Chief Whip Mary Hanafin said the mood of the meeting was different to the heated discussions at the same forum in recent months on contentious issues such as the abolition of the first-time buyers grant.

The Taoiseach said he had no talks with the US government regarding the potential war in Iraq. He said US investment in Ireland was not the sole consideration in deciding policy, but that it should not be ignored.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Michael Smith said international terrorists do not pose a threat to Ireland.

Responding to questions from Green Party foreign affairs spokesman John Gormley and Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Mr Smith said the extra weekly cost of Irish soldiers guarding Shannon Airport was €40,000 in allowances.