SEANAD REPORT: Mr John Dardis (PD) deputy Government leader in the House said that for as long as he was aware the Government's position on Iraq was quite clear. "We are hopeful that a peaceful settlement can be reached to this dispute.
We want, in the event that there would be military action, that that would have the authority of the United Nations by way of another resolution. It would be wrong of us to anticipate the outcome of these events."
Mr Brendan Ryan (Lab) said he was mystified over what precisely the Government's stance was. A "good cop, bad cop job" seemed to be under way with the the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Kitt, talking in humanitarian terms and Mr Cowen, according to reports, talking in belligerent terms. There had been an inspired leak in yesterday's Irish Times saying essentially that whatever America did, we would do.
Mr Ryan said he did not know what the policy of the Government was, and particularly that of the Progressive Democrats. The Government should clarify what position it would adopt in the event of the UN not passing a second resolution.
The leader of the House Mrs Mary O'Rourke said Mr Ryan had spoken of Mr Kitt and Mr Cowen speaking respectively in humanitarian and in truculent terms.
"I think that is the nature of the person in each case. The nature of the person infuses the debate, and it's my belief that the Government had been quite clear. They are awaiting what the chief weapons inspector says on Friday to the UN and we're linked to the UN whatever they say or do."
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Abolition of the 1963 Official Secrets Act was the one thing that would smash secrecy within our public administration system and embrace the kind of accountability we were all trying to attain in public life, said Mr Brian Hayes, Fine Gael leader in the Seanad.
Six years ago a select committee of the Dáil hadproposed the repeal of the Act.
The Seanad should be told if the Government had any proposals to remove this legislation from the statute books.
Mr Hayes also said he understood that the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman had been "slashed" by 15 to 20 per cent for this year alone.
"I think that is a retrograde step. It is something to be highlighted, because the Ombudsman's office has done more to expose bureaucracy and that culture of secrecy within our public administration then any other Act passed by the Oireachtas."