Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 November 2014
144. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or a representative of the Government will be attending the next UN General Session regarding Palestine on 25 November 2014; who the Irish representative or representatives will be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43484/14]
View answer145. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his officials have been informed of the format for the next UN General Session regarding Palestine on 25 November 2014; if it will be a general discussion; if motions will be discussed and voted upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43485/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.
Ireland has been actively involved in the negotiation of the package of resolutions dealing with the Occupied Palestinian Territories which are annually discussed at the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly itself.
Through our Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, Irish officials have played a very active role in the intensive negotiations which have been taking place both with other EU Partners and more broadly within the UN on the package of resolutions. The EU Delegation to the UN has led in negotiating closely and constructively with the Palestinian delegation who propose the texts on trying to secure agreed changes to the draft resolutions.
At this stage, broad measure has been agreed between the EU and the Palestinian delegation on the overall package of resolutions. The EU has collectively agreed to co-sponsor a number of the resolutions and it is expected that the EU will be able to vote positively in favour of a large majority of the resolutions due to be tabled. I understand that most of the Resolutions will be voted on within either the Second or Fourth Committees later this week with formal adoption by the Plenary of the General assembly due on either 25 November or at some point in December.
