asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he considers that any constructive results were achieved by the special session of the United Nations on North-South relations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North-South Relations.
11.
The 11th Special Session of the UN General Assembly on international economic co-operation for development took place in New York from 25 August to 15 September last. In my view some very important and constructive results were achieved by the special session. The text of a new international development strategy for the third UN development decade was completed. This will be formally adopted by the General Assembly at its current regular session. A text on procedures and time-frame for a round of global negotiations, within the UN system, on international economic co-operation for development was agreed on by all delegations, except three. Discussions of the proposed global negotiations, notably on the agenda, are being continued at the current regular session of the General Assembly, with a view to the launching of these negotiations in 1981. These were the main achievements of the special session. In addition, a resolution on measures to meet the critical economic situation in the least developed countries and a resolution on suggestions recently made by the UN Secretary-General to overcome the critical economic situation of many developing countries were adopted by consensus by the 11th Special Session of the UN General Assembly on 15 September 1980.
Did the Minister feel hypocritical in making his very fine speech, full of compliments, in which he talked about the time for unnecessary rhetoric being over, bearing in mind that for the first time the upward increase in the percentage of GNP devoted to ODA has halted? This is the first year in which we have stopped that increase.
The Minister never feels hypocritical.
Does the Minister feel that——
Will the Deputy ask a question, please.
Will the Minister study this speech carefully and ensure that the upward increase which I talked about will start again next year and that we will put our money where our mouth is in this regard?
That is a matter for consideration in the 1981 Estimates.