asked the Minister for External Affairs what action he proposes to take to implement the resolutions passed by the United Nations Organisation and the Council of Europe in support of the proposal to observe 1959 as World Refugee Year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - World Refugee Year.
9.
Resolution 1285 of the 13th Session of the UN General Assembly to which the Deputy refers, and which is available in the Library, calls on Members of the United Nations "to co-operate ... in accordance with the national wishes and needs of each country ... in promoting a World Refugee Year as a practical means of securing increased assistance for refugees throughout the world." The opening date of the Year and the type of action to be taken in each country were left to the judgment of individual Governments, but the sponsors of the Resolution stressed particularly the importance of private voluntary effort in this field.
The steps which we in Ireland might most usefully take to implement the aims of the Resolution are under active consideration. The Deputy will be aware that we have already pledged the sum of £5,000 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees over the next three years of which the first third has already been paid. We now hope to be able to awaken the interest of the public in this project on a large scale and we are confident that the Irish people will respond generously.