TD clashes with Roche on Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE:  A Fianna Fáil TD yesterday publicly clashed with a Junior Minister over what he said was the Government's failure to "make a fuss" about Zimbabwe.

Deputy Barry Andrews was involved in sharp exchanges with Dick Roche, a Junior Minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs, during a meeting of the Committee on European Affairs.

Mr Andrews argued that the views and decisions of the Oireachtas and of the committee were being frustrated. He said both Houses of the Oireachtas had passed a joint motion in November, drafted by Mr Andrews, which called on the Government to become involved in the monitoring of the Zimbabwean elections in March.

However, that had not happened, he said, despite it being the will of the legislature.

Mr Andrews said that at a meeting of the committee last month, he suggested that the question of Zimbabwe be included on the agenda of the General Council of Foreign Ministers in Europe. He said he was very disappointed to see that it had not been included. He said Mr Roche, who was present at the last committee meeting, had expressed enthusiasm for the idea.

"You undertook to do something about it," Mr Andrews told Mr Roche. Mr Roche rejected this interpretation.

© 2008 The Irish Times

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