Niall Collins
Question:39. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of Ireland’s bid to win a seat at the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9702/19]
View answerWednesday, 27 February 2019
Questions (39)
Written answers
Ireland is seeking election to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term. The election will take place in the General Assembly of the United Nations in June 2020.
Ireland’s candidature was announced in 2005 and the campaign is underway and intensifying as the election date draws closer. There are two seats available on the Security Council for elected members of the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG). Canada and Norway are the other two candidates.
I believe that Ireland’s track record at the UN is widely recognised, along with our spirit of Empathy, Partnership and Independence which are keynotes of our Security Council campaign and which reflect our policy interests, our values and our history of positive engagement with the wider world.
Alongside the Taoiseach and cabinet colleagues, I am taking the opportunity of bilateral and multilateral meetings, and other international fora and engagements, to promote Ireland’s candidature and make the case for the strong and independent role we would play on the Security Council. On Monday, for example, I represented Ireland at the 40th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. During that meeting I spoke of the centrality of human rights to Irish Foreign Policy since the establishment of the State and the importance we attach to human rights in our engagement at the United Nations.
Officials from my Department briefed members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence on Ireland's candidature earlier this month. I look forward to continuing to work with the Committee in relation to Ireland's UN engagement.
My Department’s staff in Ireland, our Permanent Representations to the UN in New York and Geneva, and our entire Embassy network have been actively presenting and highlighting our case and seeking support. UN Member States will be very aware of Ireland’s candidature, our commitment to the United Nations and multilateralism, and the values we seek to bring to the work of the Security Council.