Tairgim:
Go ndeonófar suim nach mó ná £396,450 chun sláinaithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31ú lá de Mhárta, 1963, le haghaidh Tuarastail agus Costais Oifig an Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Seirbhísí áirithe atá faoi riaradh na hOifige sin (Uimh. 16 de 1934, lena n-áirítear Deontas-i-gCabhair.
Le cead an Cheann Comhairle, tá fúm an Meastachán le haghaidh Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus an Meastachán le haghaidh Comhar Idirnáisiúnta a thógáil le chéile, mar aon le Meastachán Forlíontach le haghaidh Comhar Idirnáisiúnta.
£594,650 atá sa Mheastachán le haghaidh Gnóthaí Eachtracha (Vóta 49). Is £93,050 de mhéadú glan é ar Mheastachán 1961/62. Séard is mó is cúis leis an méadú seo ná an soláthar breise le haghaidh (1) tuarastal, pá agus liúntas (£61,900), (2) ábhair fhaisnéise (£21,050), (3) costas taistil agus fochostas (£5,600) agus (4) aíochta oifigiúla (£4,500).
Tuairim is leath an mhéadaithe le haghaidh tuarastal, pá agus liúntas, is de bharr an ardú pá a tugadh do státseirbhíseach le déannaí is gá é sholáthar. Tá an fuíollach ag teastáil mar sholáthar breise £20,500 le haghaidh tuilleadh fóirne sa mBruiséil atá riachtanach de bharr ár n-iarratais ar dhul isteach i gComhphobal Eacnamaíoch na hEorpa, agus mar sholáthar nua £9,200 le haghaidh misiúin taidhleoireachta agus oifige consulachta ar shocraigh an Rialtas tamall ó shoin ar iad bhunú i Cópanhágan agus i Hamburg, faoi seach.
Séard is cúis leis an méadú le haghaidh ábhair fháisnéise ná soláthar £15,000 chun dá scannán ar Éirinn a dhéanamh agus soláthar £5,600 chun leabhrán faisnéise ar Éirinn a fhoillsiú. Déarfad focal eile ar ball mar gheall ortha seo.
An chuid is mó den tsuim bhreise (£5,600) atá ag teastáil do sheirbhísí faoi Fho-Mhírcheann B (Costais Taistil agus Fochostais), is le haghaidh na noifigí nua i gCópanhágan agus i Hamburg agus an tuilleadh fóirne sa mBruiséil is gá í sholáthar. Taobh amuigh de sin, tá an meastachán bunaithe ar an gclaonadh caiteachais atá ann faoi láthair, agus costais pé turasanna a ceaptar a tabharfar a chur san áireamh.
Mar adúirt mé, £4,500 breise atá sa Mheastachán le haghaidh aoíochta oifigiúla. Tá an Meastachán seo freisin bunaithe ar an gclaonadh caiteachais atá ann le tamall anuas de thoradh méadú ar líon agus ar chostas na nócáidí aoíochta oifigiúla. Ba lú an soláthar anuraidh ná an méid a bhí riachtanach, faoi mar a thárla. £122,880 atá sa Mheastachán le haghaidh Comhar Idirnáisiúnta. Is £53,630 de mhéadú glan é ar Mheastachán 1961/62.
Tá Cáinaisnéis Chomhairle na hEorpa tar éis dul i méid. Mar sin is mó de £1,300 an ranníoc a bheidh le híoc i mbliana i gcomórtas le ranníoc na bliana seo caite. Is mó freisin an soláthar faoi Fho-Mhírcheann A.2 le haghaidh taistil agus fochostas i mbliana (£5,700) ná anuraidh, agus tá sé ag teacht cóngarach don mhéid a vótáladh i 1960/61.
Ghlac an t-Eagras um Chomhar agus Forbairt Eacnamaíochta áit an Eagrais um Chomhar Eacnamaíochta san Eoraip ar an 1 Deireadh Fómhair, 1961. Ba i leith na dtrí mí a chríochnaigh ar an 30 Meán Fómhair, 1961, a d'íocamar ár ranníoc leis an sean-Eagras anuraidh. An soláthar atá sa Mheastachán seo le haghaidh ranníoca leis an Eagras nua, is i leith na gcúig míosa déag a chríochnóidh ar an 31 mí na Nollag, 1962, a ceaptar é.
Ní raibh sa Mheastachán 1961/62 ach £10 faoi gach ceann de na Fo-Mhírchinn (C.1, C.5 agus C.9) a bhaineann leis na ranníocanna le haghaidh na Náisiún Aontaithe le haghaidh Fórsa Éigeandála na Náisiún Aontaithe agus le haghaidh imeachtaí na Náisiún Aontaithe sa Chongó. £40,000 atá curtha isteach faoi na Fo-Mhírchinn sin i mbliana. hÍocadh £11,354 anuraidh mar ranníoc na tíre seo le haghaidh costas na n-imeachtaí sa Chongó sna deich míosa a chríochnaigh ar an 31 Deireadh Fómhair, 1961. Bhéadh ranníocanna eile a dhéanann £69,855 curtha isteach sa Mheastachán anuraidh de réir an ghná-chleachtais; ach is amhlaidh a bhíodar vótaltha cheana trí Mheastachán Forlíontach i leith Vóta 1960/61. Tá méadaithe de £1,000 agus de £2,200, faoi seach, ar ár ranníocanna le Ciste Leanaí na Náisiún Aontaithe agus le Gníomhaireacht Fhóirthinte agus Oibreacha na Náisiún Aontaithe.
I dteannta an Mheastacháin bhunaidh le haghaidh Comhar Idirnáisiúnta, tá Meastachán Forlíontach ós comhair na Dála chun a chur ar ár gcumas luach 300,000 dollaeir de bhannaí na Náisiún Aontaithe a cheannach. Beidh mé ag labhairt mar gheall air seo ar ball.
I am very glad to report—and I am sure Deputies will share my satisfaction—that it has been possible this year to increase the grant-in-aid for Cultural Relations with other countries to the sum of £13,500. The first grant-in-aid in 1948-49 amounted to £10,000. In 1957-58 and 1958-59, however, it was found necessary, because of the financial situation then prevailing, to reduce the grant-in-aid to a little over £2,000. With the continuing improvement in our economic position it was later found possible progressively to restore the grant-in-aid to its former level and last year the amount provided came closer in real terms to the sum available in earlier years.
Deputies are, I know, conscious of the national importance of disseminating abroad a wider knowledge of our culture. It has important consequences politically and also for our tourist and export industries and the economy in general.
In administering the grant-in-aid, I have, of course, the benefit of the advice of the Cultural Relations Committee which consists of members of acknowledged competence in their respective fields. I wish once again to express my appreciation of the generosity with which successive members of the Committee have put their time and knowledge at the disposal of the State.
The expansion in the activities of the Information Section of the Department is reflected in the provision of £31,850 under Subhead E. This figure represents a very considerable increase over last year's figure of £10,800 and over the average amount provided under this heading in the years from 1950-51 to 1956-57 which was £10,000.
The increase is entirely due to the provision now being made for the first time for the production of films on Ireland and to the impending publication of a high-quality information booklet.
Proposals for two films dealing with economic development and social progress are under consideration and it is envisaged that these films will be completed within this financial year. It is hoped that they will secure a wide commercial distribution abroad and will help to focus the attention of foreign public opinion on modern-day Ireland.
The information booklet on Ireland is designed to present basic facts about Ireland in an attractive and readable format. I have much evidence over many years of the need for a fairly comprehensive small handbook on Ireland, and a wide circulation, mainly through our diplomatic and consular offices abroad, is planned for it.
The production and distribution of the Department's weekly Bulletin, which now has a circulation of about 10,500, will account for half of the remainder of the sum provided for under the subhead. This Bulletin is distributed mainly to newspapers, libraries, foreign Governments and friends of Ireland abroad, and continues to be the principal regular official channel for the dissemination in foreign countries of information on Irish affairs. We have every reason to believe that it is much appreciated by the recipients and fulfils a useful purpose.
It is, of course, also a function of my Department to service the growing volume of requests for information material received from abroad, usually through our offices overseas. Films, books, gramophone records, slides, photographs and other such material are used in this connection.
The Department also makes arrangements, in co-operation with other Departments and State-sponsored bodies, for visiting journalists, film producers and radio and television teams. There is an increasing number of such visitors which reflects increased interest in Ireland abroad and it has brought about an expansion in the Department's activities in this respect.
The increased provision of £4,500 for official entertainment is required because there is a steady increase in the number of distinguished visitors coming to Ireland and in the number of international conferences which are being held here. This development is to be welcomed. Such visits and conferences not only benefit trade and tourism but they also ensure that more people of prominence and influence elsewhere get a fuller and true picture at first hand of the conditions prevailing in Ireland.
Apart from important individual visitors it is expected that a large number of conferences will take place during the current year. Among those already arranged are the following:—
International Variety Clubs Convention: Conference of Royal Institute of Naval Architects; Study Group of Housing Committee of Economic Commission for Europe; Joint European Conference of Econometric Society, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and Institute of Management Sciences; Conference of British Society of Animal Production; Meeting of Brigade Council of Boys Brigade; International Air Transport Association; Annual Convention of the British Poster Advertising Association; International Union of Journalists; Easter Course of the English Folk Dance and Song Society; Conference of the Confederation of European Soft Drinks Association; Conference of Association of British Travel Agents; International Council of Tanners.
These are all conventions that have already been arranged.
As I have already said, the Estimate contains provision for a diplomatic mission to Denmark and a consular office at Hamburg. I am sure that Deputies generally will warmly welcome the Government's decision to establish diplomatic relations with Denmark, a country with which we share so many political, economic and commercial interests. Indeed, I feel that it is unnecessary for me to speak at any length on the desirability of this step.
Hamburg is, after Berlin, the largest city of Germany and is also the largest port. There has recently been a gratifying growth in our exports to the Federal Republic. It is primarily with the object of further developing our earnings in that country and of helping our economic effort in other directions that the Government decided to establish the office in Hamburg.
As I also mentioned at the outset, the Estimate contains provision for a strengthening of our Mission at Brussels. As Deputies know, our Ambassador to Belgium is also accredited to the European Community. It is of vital importance that we be in a position to follow closely all developments in connection with the application for membership of the European Economic Community, and the additional staff provided is for this purpose.
Last summer during the holiday period, as Deputies may be aware, I arranged that the heads of our diplomatic missions in North America and Europe should attend in Dublin for discussions on ways and means of assisting in the promotion of economic development and, in particular, of increasing foreign earnings, both visible and invisible, and attracting foreign industries to Ireland. In the course of this conference exchanges of view took place with the economic departments, as well as the State-sponsored bodies whose activities extend to foreign countries. It was also possible, with the help of the Department of Industry and Commerce, to arrange a short meeting with representatives of the Federation of Irish Industries and the Irish Exporters' Association.
There has, of course, always been close co-operation between my Department and its offices abroad, on the one hand, and the State-sponsored bodies active in foreign countries, on the other. In this connection I might mention that I was recently happy to lend for a period of some months three officers of my Department to help Córas Tráchtála in carrying out on the Continent for the Committee on Industrial Organisation investigations of the export prospects for Irish industry under Common Market conditions.
Last July the Dáil approved the Convention establishing the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. As the requisite number of ratifications had been deposited by 30th September, 1961, the Organisation came formally into being on that date. The Ministerial Council met for the first time in November. At that meeting the discussion centred mainly on the proposal to set a collective target for economic growth in the coming years in the interests of achieving higher living standards and levels of employment, and of providing more effective assistance by member countries for the development of the less-advanced countries through financial and technical assistance and a widening of their export markets. It was unanimously agreed that the member countries, as a unit, should strive to achieve in a ten-year period 1961-1970 an increase in gross national product of 50 per cent. The rate of economic growth for this country in recent years gives good grounds for thinking that we can make our full contribution to the attainment of this target.
Apart from the Ministerial meeting in November, the OECD has been active since its inception in a number of important fields, and in particular in the field of economic policy. It is, of course, a primary function of the Organisation to arrange for exchanges of views between member Governments about their economic policies and this function is carried out by the important Economic Policy Committee, whose meetings are attended by high level representatives of member Governments, including Ireland.
The Secretary-General of the Organisation, Mr. Thorkil Kristensen, has over the past year been visiting member countries and we were very glad to welcome him here in February when he delivered a most interesting lecture about the Organisation and its principal activities.
In moving the Estimates of my Department last year I referred to our application for accession to the GATT. Deputies will be aware from information given in the Dáil over the past few months in reply to Parliamentary Questions that, at our suggestion, further consideration of this application has been deferred pending developments on our application for membership of the European Economic Community. It is anticipated that the negotiations on our EEC application may well dispose of difficulties raised on the GATT application relating to the preferential tariff arrangements existing between this country and Britain.
In the past year the Council of Europe, through both the Committee of Ministers and the Consultative Assembly, has kept actively under review the means of securing the objectives set out in the Statute with particular reference to the bearing of these objectives on the evolution of the European Economic Community. The Council has also recorded significant progress in a number of important directions.
One of the next most important achievements during the past year has been the great expansion of the activities of the Council in the cultural field. To assist the Committee of Ministers in the formulation of policy a Council for Cultural Co-operation has been established composed mainly of representatives of member states and of the Consultative Assembly. The aim of the new Council is closer collaboration in all fields of culture, ranging from formal education at primary and secondary level to the work of universities and similar bodies in higher education, science and research and from technical and vocational training to out-of-school education (physical education, adult education and sport) and youth activities. Three permanent Committees have been set up by the Council to ensure that its decisions are implemented at all levels. The Council has set itself an immense task but one which should, in time, bear great fruit. We may hope that this new development will prove of benefit to member states in the fields of education and research through a pooling of the experience of each of them in these matters. Such co-operation may also obviate duplication of individual national efforts and result in quicker progress and the more speedy solution of problems.
The past year has also seen the achievement of one of the Council of Europe's most important projects. I refer to the European Social Charter which was signed in Turin last October by 13 countries including Ireland.
The Charter guarantees the social rights of the worker and evidences the will of contracting parties not only to protect these rights but to raise the living standards of their peoples. It includes provisions regarding the right to work under just and safe conditions, the right to social and medical assistance, the right to organise and bargain collectively. Other provisions are aimed at safeguarding families and the position of migrant workers and the special requirements of mothers and children are taken into consideration.
In another part of the social field, that of public health, much progress has been made and two new international agreements will be opened for signature shortly. These are the European Agreement on mutual assistance in the matter of special medical treatment and climatic facilities and the European Agreement on the Exchange of Blood-Grouping Reagents. And in this connection I might also mention Medical Fellowships awarded by the Council of Europe in the allocation of which Irish nationals were particularly fortunate this year, gaining 15 out of the 114 available.
Other Conventions which have been, or shortly will be, opened for signature include those relating to Travel by Young Persons on Collective Passports and the Liabilities of Hotel Keepers. The Government will shortly consider proposals that we become a party to these Conventions as well as to the two Conventions on public health matters which I have just mentioned.
The Council has more recently initiated a study of crime problems. It is hoped to arrange a second Conference of European Ministers for Justice in the Autumn of this year and I have no doubt that this will give both direction and impetus to the Council's work in the sphere of problems connected with crime.
The Council is pursuing its studies of many other matters including legal and financial problems, consular relations, standardisation of laws, and regulations regarding patents on inventions. This work, which is aimed at harmonising the practice of member States in so far as possible at times gives rise to problems of a highly complex nature. However, with the greater development of a sense of common purpose and a growing tendency to adopt a common approach to such difficulties as may arise the Council of Europe is achieving steady progress. In this, I am glad to say, Irish representatives have, as in the past, co-operated fully.
During the year Cyprus was invited to become a member of the Council and signed the Statute in May, 1961. The accession of Cyprus brings the total number of members to sixteen. In addition, Switzerland now sends observers to Council of Europe meetings including sessions of the Consultative Assembly, certain Assembly committees and meetings of governmental experts.
The past year has been one of crisis and trial for the United Nations. On the executive plane it was marked by a continuance of the determined efforts by the Soviet Union to replace the Secretary-General by a "troika" or three-member commission each representing what the Soviet Union regards as the three main groups of states in the world today—the socalled Socialist, Neutral and Western groups. This proposal would stultify the role of the Secretariat and runs directly counter to Article 100 of the Charter which requires that the Secretary-General and his staff "shall not seek or receive instructions from any Government or other authority external to the Organisation" and demands that their sole loyalty shall be to the United Nations itself.
It would be fruitless to enter into the various motives which inspired this proposal, but its immediate cause was unquestionably the determination displayed by the late Secretary-General to ensure that the very confused situation which arose in the Congo in July of 1960 should not lead to that State becoming the cockpit of big-power rivalry and thus a most serious threat to world peace. There is no doubt that the "troika" proposal, if implemented, would carry the power of veto into the United Nations Secretariat itself and, by paralysing the power of action of the Secretary-General, would greatly weaken the United Nations. The crisis was intensified by the sudden and tragic death of Mr. Hammarskjoeld on his last peace mission in the Congo. His efforts in his years as Secretary-General to shape the United Nations as an effective instrument of world peace commanded the respect and admiration of people everywhere. We share the grief of all who mourn his passing, more especially the United Nations, the Swedish Government and his relatives.
The Irish Government have constantly advocated a strong United Nations as the best hope for safeguarding the interests of small nations, and as representing the best prospects for the evolution of world order based on justice and the rule of law. We have also consistently supported the office of the Secretary-General as the organ of the Charter which, in the continuing conditions of stalemate in the Security Council, provides the means of ensuring uninterrupted functioning of the Organisation and of effectively implementing its decisions. The weeks after Mr. Hammarskjoeld's death were a period of great uncertainty and anxiety about the future of this office because of the requirement of the Charter that the Secretary-General must be appointed on the recommendation of the Security Council and the desire of the Soviet Union to impose its own scheme of divided and mutually conflicting authority. It was, therefore, most gratifying that this serious crisis was overcome by the selection of U Thant of Burma as Acting Secretary-General to fill the vacancy. His appointment, without "troika" or veto, as a result of weeks of patient negotiation, will, I hope, prove to be a vindication of the principle of the integrity and independence of the office of Secretary-General; and it is a source of satisfaction that our Permanent Representative at the United Nations was able to play a constructive part in bringing about this result.
In the Congo, where the United Nations is still engaged on its greatest undertaking to date, the past year has witnessed recurrent crises and a sequence of developments of which it has been at times extremely difficult to discern either the real significance or the precise trend. It is hardly necessary for me to record in detail all that has happened there since the matter was fully debated in the House last July. I might, however, refer briefly to some of the salient events during the intervening months.
It is well to bear in mind that for the United Nations the Congo is a national unit. It was so admitted to membership of the Organisation and the many debates which have taken place in New York since July, 1960, as well as the various resolutions adopted in both the Security Council and the General Assembly, have rested on this basis. This means that the competent authority within the Congo, and the only authority which the United Nations can recognise as representing the State, is the Central Government in Leopoldville —which was, of course, the authority that sought membership of the United Nations and that appealed to the United Nations for help.
I do not propose to enter into the complex history of the evolution of the Central Government. Two points may, however, be mentioned. The first is that Mr. Kasavubu was recognised by the United Nations in November, 1960, as President of the Congo and as such entrusted with the powers conferred upon the President by the "Fundamental Law," negotiated prior to Independence and which serves as the Constitution of the Congo pending the enactment by the independent State of its own Constitution. Secondly, under the authority of Mr. Kasavubu, a Government drawn from all parts of the Congo, with the exception of Katanga, was established on 1st August under the leadership of Mr. Adoula as Prime Minister. Mr. Adoula's Government enacted on 24th August a decree requesting the United Nations to implement the resolutions of the Organisation calling for the expulsion of mercenaries; and this decree gave added authority to those resolutions inasmuch as it placed them squarely in the context of the original appeal to the United Nations in July, 1960, which led to the dispatch to the Congo of the United Nations Force.
The events in Katanga in September, which received such wide publicity and led to much controversy, arose out of efforts on the part of the United Nations to protect the 45,000 Balubas Kasai in Elizabethville and to implement paragraph A.2 of the Security Council resolution of 21st February, 1961, calling for the removal of mercenaries. Deputies will be aware that these efforts were not then fully successful and that the matter became a subject of lengthy debates within the Organisation in New York. These culminated in the adoption by the Security Council on the 24th November of another resolution which recalled the many earlier resolutions on the Congo and authorised the use of force, if necessary, to oust the mercenaries. The fighting in Katanga in December stemmed from provocative action against the United Nations forces taken by the Katangan authorities with a view to impending the implementation of the resolution of 24th November.
Concurrently with the counter-action in December by the United Nations forces to redress the position in Elizabethville, efforts were made from many quarters to bring about an understanding between those in charge of affairs in Katanga and the Central Government in Leopoldville. These efforts were successful to the extent that a meeting took place in Kitona in mid-December between Mr. Tshombe and Mr. Adoula, resulting in a Joint Declaration which offered a basis for arrangements whereby Katanga would accept the over-riding jurisdiction of the Central Government. The declaration became the subject of much discussion in Katanga where the Administration was not prepared to accept as binding all of its provisions and, in particular, those relating to the implementation of the United Nations resolutions. Ultimately, Mr. Tshombe agreed to meet Mr. Adoula again, this time in Leopoldville under United Nations protection, and conversations have been taking place between them over the past fortnight.
The situation in the Congo is at present relatively quiet. It is to be hoped that it will remain so and that it will ultimately prove possible to reach arrangements which will permit of all parts of the country working together with a sufficient measure of harmony to enable the really big problems confronting the Congo as a whole to be tackled and solved. In my view, these objectives can be attained with time and patience, and the primary purpose of the United Nations operation in that country can thus be fulfilled. This is the restoration of law and order which are the indispensable pre-condition of peaceful progress in the development of the new State and which are particularly necessary in a State so vast in area as is the Congo and so vitally located in relation to the whole of Africa. Such a result would be the best monument to Mr. Hammarskjoeld, to his penetrating appreciation of the vital importance, not only for the Congo but for world peace, of the creation of stable conditions there and to the sense of dedication he brought to the search for a solution to the Congolese problem. It may, however, be too much to hope that matters will go smoothly forward in the Congo without occasional setbacks; but it is most sincerely to be hoped that we shall not have a recurrence of such deplorable incidents such as the brutal murder in Kindu last November of a number of Italian airmen and the equally brutal massacre of a number of Catholic missionaries in Kongolo in Northern Katanga in January.
This country has, of course, continued to participate in the United Nations Operation in the Congo by making available a battalion of the Defence Forces. As Deputies are aware the Government felt that it would be best to fix a six-monthly rotation for each contingent and this arrangement has in practice worked out very well. I am happy to say that our troops have consistently lived up to the high reputation of Irish soldiers and have acted throughout in a manner which justifies our pride in them. In the latter part of 1961 a company who found themselves cut off in Jadotville, and whose fate was for a time a source of grave anxiety because of the sensational and inaccurate reports propagated by some news agencies and press correspondents, acquitted themselves with great gallantry in extremely difficult and trying conditions without any serious casualties. The Irish people mourn the loss of our soldiers who fell fighting for peace in the Congo but are proud that the Army of today is upholding the best traditions of our race.
The United Nations civilian operation in the Congo continues to make progress in assisting the Central Government in the enormous reconstruction tasks which it faces. This operation constitutes the most massive technical assistance programme ever undertaken by the United Nations. In the present year the United Nations plans to have some 1,000 experts under the aid programme providing a wide variety of services throughout the country and some 2,300 Congolese nationals will be given training, both in the Congo and abroad. The programme is estimated to cost some $16,000,000. The United Nations continues to organise assistance for refugees in various parts of the Congo and for the victims of floods and other natural disasters.
The United Nations has also faced a serious financial crisis in the past year. To meet the situation, the General Assembly has authorised a United Nations bond issue of $200,000,000, details of which I shall explain when I come to deal with the Supplementary Estimate before the House on the question of a subscription by the Government to that issue.
The Government have continued to support the United Nations financially and have taken steps to be as prompt as possible in their payments to United Nations funds. This year the Irish percentage contribution to the regular budget of the Organisation has fallen from 0.16 per cent. to 0.14 per cent. as a result of the increase in membership which now totals 104 members.
The past year has seen the birth of other new States on the African Continent with which we have close links through our missionaries and teachers and by virtue of the fact that many of their distinguished citizens have been educated here. We congratulate them on the peaceful achievement of their independence and we wish them every success in the enormous development tasks before them.
Within the United Nations we have devoted our energies to creating a climate of peace between the nations and to furthering the cause of individual and national liberty.
During the past four years our delegation has advocated measures aimed at preventing a further spread of nuclear weapons in order to give time and opportunity for the evolution of a world order of law and law enforcement. These efforts culminated in the unanimous adoption by the General Assembly last December of a resolution calling for the conclusion of an international agreement by which nuclear powers would not relinquish control of nuclear weapons or transfer the knowledge of making them to non-nuclear powers, and by which the non-nuclear powers would undertake not to make or acquire control of nuclear weapons. We welcome the fact that these proposals have been agreed in principle by both the United States and the Soviet Union; and we are encouraged to hope that negotiations many lead to the conclusion of the necessary "non-dissemination agreements" for signature by both the nuclear and the non-nuclear States. There is, indeed, some prospect that the Disarmament Committee, now meeting at Geneva, will consider the question as both the United States and the Soviet Union have adopted non-dissemination of nuclear weapons as part of their disarmament proposals.
At the last session of the General Assembly, we again sponsored a resolution which was adopted and which called for respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Tibetan people including their right to self-determination. We again supported a further resolution condemning the system of apartheid in the Union of South Africa. However, we voted against the clauses in this resolution— which were, in fact, defeated—calling for the imposition of sanctions against South Africa as we believe that such measures would not achieve their purpose and might lead in existing circumstances to greater hardships on those whom the resolution was intended to assist.
I might finally mention the intervention of our delegation in the debates in February on the forthcoming independence of Ruanda-Urundi. We, of course, warmly welcome this development. We felt, however, that a draft resolution submitted on the subject went too far inasmuch as it required the withdrawl of all Belgian forces by the date of independence. It seemed to us that, having regard to the serious rivalries and potential causes of dissension which exist in Ruanda-Urundi, it would be extremely dangerous to insist on such a step until the authorities of the territories had trained forces available to them to ensure order. We, therefore, joined with Sweden in proposing an amendment to that particular part of the draft resolution. I am happy to say that this initiative led to the resolution being amended and adopted.
I now turn to the Supplementary Estimate which is required to enable the Government to contribute to the United Nations Bond Issue.
The financial difficulties of increasing magnitude and gravity which have confronted the United Nations for several years have now reached the stage where the ability of the Organisation to carry out its primary responsibility and agreed programmes is seriously threatened. The necessity for drastic action to meet the situation was brought to the attention of member states by the Acting Secretary-General, U Thant, on 11th December, 1961, when he indicated that the Organisation was, in fact, on the verge of bankruptcy. These difficulties are occasioned by three factors: (1) arrears on the part of some members in the payment of their contributions to the regular budget but more particularly (2) the refusal of certain members on political grounds to contribute to the cost of the organisation's emergency peace-keeping operations in the Middle East and in the Congo and (3) hesitations, not amounting to refusals, on the part of other members to meet their assessed shares of the cost of these operations.
This has led to a growing deficit which the Acting Secretary-General estimates will amount to $170,000,000 by 30th June this year. It was to meet this deficit and to increase the Organisation's working capital that the Acting Secretary-General proposed, and the General Assembly authorised by a resolution adopted on the 20th December, 1961, a bond issue of $200,000,000. The bonds bear interest at the rate of 2 per cent. per annum and are repayable in 25 annual instalments from the regular budget of the Organisation. They are offered for sale to member states of the United Nations and members of the specialised agencies, as well as to the official institutions of such members. Bonds may also, in certain circumstances, be offered to non-profit institutions or associations. The terms and conditions of the issue make no provision for the sale of bonds to individuals.
The bond issue does not mean that the Organisation accepts that those Member countries now defaulting in contributions to the cost of the emergency operations in the Middle East and in the Congo should continue to do so. At its last session the General Assembly requested an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice as to whether assessments on Member States for these two activities "are expenses of the Organisation" within the meaning of Article 17 (2) of the Charter of the United Nations which reads as follows:—
"The expenses of the Organisation shall be borne by the members as apportioned by the General Assembly."
Under Article 19 of the Charter a member which is in arrears in payments for two full years should not have the right to vote in the General Assembly unless failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the member's control. We have made a written submission to the Court to the effect that assessments on Member Governments for the United Nations Middle East and Congo operations are obligatory.
Having regard to the grave financial situation as outlined by the Secretary-General our delegation voted for the resolution authorising the bond issue. Subsequently the Acting Secretary-General requested all Member States to inform him of their intentions with regard to subscribing to the issue. The Government consider that it would be only consonant with our general policy of support for the United Nations that we contribute to the bond issue. Should funds not be available for the continued financing of the Organisation's peace-keeping operations in the Middle East and in the Congo, the consequences would indeed be serious. Although the proposed solution is not ideal, it will enable the present crisis to be met.
A number of countries have already announced their willingness to contribute to the bond issue. Of these, eight countries are subscribing amounts in excess of their percentage contribution to the United Nations Regular Budget, four countries are subscribing amounts equal to and seven countries amounts less than their percentage contribution. In the case of the U.S.A., Congress has before it proposals for the purchase of $100 million worth of bonds or for the purchase of $25 million worth and the matching of subscriptions by other Governments up to a further $75 million.
The Federal Republic of Germany which is not a member of the United Nations has undertaken to purchase bonds to the value of $10 million. To date, and excluding a United States subscription, twenty-one countries have promised to purchase bonds to the extent of nearly $52 million.
The Government propose to purchase $300,000 worth of the bonds which is $20,000 or 7 per cent. more than the figure corresponding to our percentage share of the Regular Budget of the Organisation. I hope that, in the circumstances outlined, the Dáil will approve this proposal and will consequently adopt the motion.
