asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total amount of money received by Ireland for overseas duties with the United Nations; the purpose for which these funds have been used; the amount of money presently owed to Ireland by the United Nations; the period on which this money is due; the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reimbursement of UN Peacekeeping Costs.
10.
The total amount of money received from the United Nations, up to 31 December 1985, in reimbursement for costs incurred by Ireland in UN peacekeeping duties was £43,901,993. These moneys are lodged to the Appropriation in Aid subhead of the Defence Vote and are not designated for any specific use: they are, of course, reimbursements for costs already incurred by the Defence Forces.
As of 31 December 1985 a total of £14,029,746 million was outstanding in payments owed to Ireland by the United Nations in respect of costs arising from peacekeeping operations. Of this, £13,493,000 relates to our involvement with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, (UNIFIL), since May 1978. I explained the background to the outstanding UNIFIL reimbursements in my answer to a Dáil question on this matter on 6 February.
Of the remaining amount, £2,023 is still owing from our participation in the UN operation in the Congo between July 1960 and May 1964, and £534,723 in relation to our involvement with the United Nations Force in Cyprus which began in April 1964.
There is, unfortunately, very little chance that the money owed in relation to the Congo operation will ever be repaid. Certain countries withheld contributions designated for the support of the Congo operation and the UN was consequently unable to fully meet its obligations.
As regards money outstanding in claims relating to UNFICYP, the prospects for repayment are also regrettably very poor. That force is financed by voluntary contributions from member states which fall far short of the cost of maintaining the force. The deficit in the UNFICYP account as of 30 September 1985, amounted to some £122.2 million in respect of the period ending 15 June 1985. It is unlikely that the money owed to Ireland from the UNFICYP fund can be paid while the fund continues to run a serious deficit. Appeals for increased contributions by the Secretary General supported by troop contributors, including Ireland, have met with some response but a large deficit seems likely to remain.
Ireland has consistently argued at the United Nations for a strong and assured financial basis for all peacekeeping operations. The responsibility for maintaining peace is one that is, under the Charter, shared collectively by the member states. It follows from this that financial responsibility for peacekeeping operations duly authorised under the provisions of the Charter should be shared equitably by the member states. The system of financing established in relation to more recent peacekeeping operations such as UNIFIL seeks to reflect this principle of joint responsibility. In practice, however, continued withholding of contributions by certain UN member countries has placed a disproportionate financial burden on other member states, particularly the troop contributors. We have voiced our serious concerns in this matter at successive sessions of the UN General Assembly and have urged all member states to pay their contribution to UN peacekeeping operations.
Can the Minister say whether there are many members of the UN who have not paid their contributions and has he any indication as to why some members are not making their contributions? What efforts have the Government made to ensure that contributions are paid and can the Minister say also whether any members of the EC have not paid their contribution to the UN fund?
I presume the Deputy is referring to the UNIFIL peace keeping force.
I am referring to the various forces.
I am not sure about the other two, but so far as I know those states involved in the UNIFIL forces and who have not made their contribution are Eastern European states and their allies, Iran and certain Arab states — for example, Syria and Libya — who say that the peacekeeping force is necessary because of the actions of Israel and that consequently they do not wish to contribute.
Is there any proposal on our part to exert pressure on the UN to ensure that some of the money is collected? Also, is there any hope that the large amount of money due to this small country, which is making trojan efforts internationally in the matter of peacekeeping, will be paid?
I agree Ireland is making a huge contribution to peacekeeping in the world. This is one of the most positive aspects of our foreign policy, but it is very regrettable that member states of the UN, who share collectively the responsibility for peacekeeping, should not contribute collectively to the fund to finance that exercise. On every occasion on which I have met the Secretary General, whether privately or as part of the group of peacekeeping contributing countries, I have impressed on him the necessity for having the fund properly established and for all members states to contribute to it. Those of us who form part of the contributing countries have devised strategies by which we would hope to exert pressure on those who are not contributing, but the Deputy will understand that ours is a moral pressure and that we do not intend to pursue the matter further than that.
Is there any hope of recoupment?
There is some hope but it would be naive to expect that all of the almost £15 million would be paid. We can only hope to be paid some of the money.
It is disgraceful that some countries should renege on their payments.
Perhaps those who are loudest in the speeches about the necessity for peace are sometimes slowest to contribute.