SEANAD REPORT: Mr Michael Finucane (FG) contrasted the television pictures of President Bush holding a young child following his arrival at Aldergrove airport with the reports of the suffering of children in Iraq as a result of the war.
The President had grabbed a youngster in front of the TV cameras, he said. He felt it was rather nauseating to read in the newspapers of what was actually happening to young children in Baghdad through the use of cluster bombs.
What was being shown on television was very much sanitised, so he greatly welcomed the objective reporting of newspaper journalists such as Robert Fisk.
Yesterday's sitting was adjourned for 10 minutes after Mr David Norris (Ind) refused to comply with repeated requests by the Leas Cathaoirleach, Mr Paddy Burke, that he resume his seat.
Earlier, Mr Norris had said he had more pride in him than to welcome the "foul presence" of President Bush on this island. "I welcome any advance that is made in the Anglo-Irish Agreement, but I absolutely disdain this cynical manipulation of our political purposes," he said.
When Mr Norris's statement that not everyone welcomed the US President drew some interruptions from the Government benches, Mr Norris retorted angrily: "Don't try to shout me down like the curs that you are."
He was eventually prevailed upon by the Leas Cathaoirleach to withdraw the "curs" remark.
Mr Joe O'Toole (Ind) said they could only extend good wishes for any talks to advance the Good Friday agreement. But the sudden transmutation of the invader and the warmonger into some sort of peacemaker was difficult to understand.