asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the International Atomic Energy Agency has made any progress in its deliberations on its programme to introduce safeguards under the Treaty on Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to prevent the diversion of nuclear material from peaceful purposes to nuclear weapons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
34.
Last October, the United Nations General Assembly commended the International Atomic Energy Agency for the progress it had made in meeting its safeguards responsibilities and in negotiating agreements for the application of safeguards with non-nuclear-weapon states, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
As on 30th June this year, 75 non-nuclear-weapon states had ratified or acceded to the non-proliferation treaty. Safeguards agreements are already in force between the agency and 26 states, and similar agreements between the agency and other states have been signed but not yet ratified, or are in course of negotiation. Ireland ratified the non-proliferation treaty on 1st July, 1968, and the agreement between Ireland and the IAEA was signed on 29th February, 1972, and entered into force on the same day.