I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together.
Ireland’s candidature for election to the UN Security Council from the Western Europe and Others Group, which was first announced in 2005, is a top foreign policy priority. The election is due to take place in June 2020. All 193 UN member States are entitled to vote. Their votes will determine which of the candidates are elected to the Council for the 2021-2022 term. A successful campaign will require Ireland to convince the UN Member States of the merits of our candidature and, to this end, an intensive period of engagement with UN Member States, highlighting Ireland’s strong UN record and our values and objectives as a prospective Security Council member, will continue from now until the election.
The main Expenditure Programme under the Department’s Vote to which costs relating to the campaign will be charged is Programme C – To Work for a More Just, Secure and Sustainable World (“Our Values”).
For 2018, an initial allocation of €280,000 has been made to the unit which is coordinating Ireland’s campaign. To date, a total of around €175,000 has been spent, including approximately €145,000 on outside contractors and materials relating to the campaign.
In relation to 2019, the costs of the campaign are under consideration and the question of funding will be discussed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the Estimates 2019 process. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the detail of those negotiations at this time. However, as I have indicated to the House in the recent past, as we move forward there will be a need for additional resources to promote Ireland’s candidature as we seek to secure support.
Over the course of the campaign, the Government will organise a small number of events. The precise arrangements for these events, including their timing, location and subject matter, are being developed. However, they will address a range of themes aimed at highlighting Ireland’s track record globally, our principled commitment to the value of multilateralism, and the importance of the issues to be addressed for international peace and security.
In making Ireland’s case, we are highlighting our approach at the UN over more than six decades of membership, including our support for and involvement in sustainable development, humanitarian action, disarmament, human rights and peacekeeping. The House will be aware that this year marks the 60th anniversary of Ireland’s participation in UN peacekeeping and that the record of our Defence Forces is a highly admirable one.
If Ireland were to be elected to the Security Council our fundamental approach to all agenda items would be to advocate and support decisions and policies based on and advancing the core values of our foreign policy – peace and security, justice, equality and sustainability.
