asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the highlights of Ireland's participation in the United Nations for 1985.
Written Answers. - Ireland's Participation in the UN.
12.
1985 was an important year for the United Nations and Ireland, marking, as it did, the 40th anniversary of the founding of the UN, the 30th anniversary of Ireland's admission to that organisation and the 25th anniversary of Ireland's first commitment of armed Defence Forces units to UN peacekeeping operations, through the despatch of an Irish contingent to serve with the UN force in the Congo.
The United Nations marked its 40th anniversary by holding a series of special commemorative sittings in the course of last year's general assembly. The Taoiseach represented Ireland at this commemoration and in a wide-ranging address on 21 October 1985 he reaffirmed Ireland's commitment to the United Nations and to the principals and purposes of the Charter. I myself had the honour of addressing the assembly on 27 September during the course of the general debate.
Special mention must also be made of our participation in UN peacekeeping operations. Our main involvement during 1985 was with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) but members of the Defence Forces also served with distinction in the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East and with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). We can note with pride that, taking rotations into account, more than 2,000 Irish men and women saw service with the UN peacekeeping operations during 1985. The contribution of these men and women, involving as it sometimes does a risk to their personal safety, represents a significant contribution on their behalf, and on behalf of their families and the nation as a whole, to the maintenance of international peace and security.
A further area in which Ireland made a particular contribution to UN activities during 1985 was in the field of human rights. Our first three-year term of membership of the UN Commission on Human Rights expired at the end of 1985 and it is a cause of considerable satisfaction that, in May last year, we were reelected to serve for a further three years. Throughout our membership of the Commission we have sought to pursue a policy which emphasises the primary importance of states implementing the existing human rights codes to which they have adhered. This was a theme highlighted by the Taoiseach in his address to the General Assembly during the 40th anniversary commemorative session.
Question No. 13 re-submitted for oral reply.