Vol. 524 No. 3
1 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the additional resources, human and financial, which will be allocated arising from Ireland's membership of the UN Security Council; and the broad policy approach which will be pursued at the Security Council. [22363/00]
All Members of the House will agree that Ireland's election to non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for the 2001-2002 term is a major achievement and a recognition of the esteem in which Ireland is held internationally. The international community has bestowed a tremendous honour on Ireland and we deeply appreciate it. I thank all of the states who voted for us and gave us every support and encouragement during the campaign. I also appreciate everyone in Ireland who supported our campaign.
Membership of the Council will place Ireland at the centre of decision-making by the body with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Since joining the UN in 1955, our vocation has been to play a distinctive role in areas such as peacekeeping, nuclear disarmament, human rights and development co-operation. The values which have inspired our foreign policy for many years, under successive Governments, will guide our actions on the Council.
We are also conscious of the trust placed in us by the membership of the United Nations as demonstrated by our election on the first round against stiff opposition. We will seek to remain responsive to the concerns of the wider membership during our time on the Council.
Peacekeeping is at the heart of Ireland's contribution to the United Nations. For more than 40 years we have participated continuously in United Nations peacekeeping operations, and Irish personnel have served under UN command in the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. This experience will enable us to speak with authority when peacekeeping issues come before the Council. The principles of reconciliation, mutual respect and partnership which have informed our approach to the peace process in Northern Ireland will guide our consideration of issues before the Council. African issues are a significant part of the current Security Council agenda. Ireland, through her long-standing support for political and economic development in Africa, will bring an informed view to the Council.
Officials of my Department are in discussions with the Department of Finance about the financial resources necessary to fulfil our obligations as a member of the Security Council. They have also identified the extra staffing requirements which will be required to deal with the demands of membership of the Security Council at our Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, in Geneva and at headquarters, and are currently finalising details in discussions with the Department of Finance.
Membership of the Security Council is a huge responsibility for Ireland. The Government is determined that we will discharge our responsibilities on the Council in a manner of which the entire country can be proud.
I congratulate the Minister, the Minister of State, and especially the diplomatic staff who in recent years have conducted a sustained campaign to win this post. I am delighted to acknowledge that in the House. Will the Minister be more specific about the question I raised regarding extra staff and resources? I hope these will be made available and will be adequate to cover the needs. Will the Minister indicate the package for which he has sought approval from the Department of Finance, both in terms of personnel and cost?
I will press him further on the broad policy role we will adopt on the Security Council. To what extent will we be independent in our approach? To what extent will we be affected by views arising from our membership of the European Union? To what extent may other members of the Security Council lean on us in a situation where, for instance, they are providing assistance to us in Northern Ireland?
I cannot be specific with the Deputy on the basis that we are still involved in the Estimates campaign. Obviously, I had parked this issue until such time as we could see whether we would be successful in our bid for membership of the UN Security Council. The sort of requirements that are being talked about are simply a matter of discussion and approval with the Department of Finance. It will involve extra personnel, both diplomatic and general staff, in New York, Geneva and at headquarters. This issue will be of priority and the political divisions in headquarters staff will be enhanced, particularly in those areas where one can see there will be a workload concerning the desks for the western Balkans, the Middle East and Africa. Clearly, additional personnel will be required in New York to supplement the work of the existing staff complement at our UN mission there. These are logistical issues.
The permanent representative to the UN will be home next week for discussions with me and departmental officials. Discussions have been going at the appropriate level within the Department as to what the requirements will be and how they can be accomplished. I am confident the requisite support, as assessed by the Department, will be forthcoming, but I must respect the fact that our Estimates on this issue have not been concluded with the Department of Finance. Therefore, I do not want to pre-empt the discussions or assume an agreement until formal approval is given. I have no reason but to believe that we will have the full co-operation of everybody in the Government, on the basis that we want to have an effective and efficient complement of staff who will do a job of which the House can be proud.
As regards the Deputy's other question, the Government shares a common EU position on a range of foreign policy areas. It is important to note that when we become members of the Security Council we will act on the basis of our own assessment, but we will clearly take into account the views of the wider membership and the other members of the Council.
I would remind the Minister that we are limited to six minutes. As we have exceeded that limit, I must proceed to Question No. 2.
We will return to the issue.
