Irish reaction: The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has welcomed the arrest of Saddam Hussein but anti-war campaigners insisted that his capture did nothing to justify the US-led occupation of Iraq, writes Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter
Mr Ahern said he hoped the capture would bolster moves to introduce an autonomous Iraqi administration.
"This man brought huge hardship on his own people for many years. He brought a lot of suffering," the Taoiseach said.
"It has been stated, before this happened, that perhaps in 2004 we would see the autonomy of the Iraqi people restored again and I hope his arrest gives that. It is a good day for Iraq, many others might celebrate it, but my thoughts are with the people of Iraq."
Labour's foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Michael D. Higgins, said he was glad to hear of Saddam's capture but said the release of pictures of his medical examination was a "clear breach" of the Geneva Convention.
"I think it's very important now that he be made answerable for his crimes, not just against the Iraqi people but against humanity as well perhaps. That needs to be done in accordance with international legal norms."
The Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, said that all democrats would welcome the capture. "How Sadddam Hussein is called to account must show that justice is done and seen to be done."
The leader of the Green Party, Mr Trevor Sargent, said the international community now had to restore credibility to the international justice system in spite of Saddam's "bloody and despicable crimes".
The chairman of the Irish anti- war movement, Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, said the capture did nothing to justify or vindicate the invasion and occupation of Iraq. "Tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis have died and are still dying as a result of the US-led war. The capture of one criminal, Saddam Hussein, does nothing to change or justify that. It's really a case of one gang of criminals capturing another criminal who was a former ally of theirs."
The chairman of the Peace and Neutrality alliance, Mr Roger Cole, welcomed the capture but said the war remained illegal. He said the Americans and the British knew he was not "a beacon of democracy" when they were supplying him with weapons.