Tairgim:
Go ndeonófar suim fhorlíontach nach mó ná £69,270 chun íochtha an mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31ú lá de Mhárta, 1964, le haghaidh ranníocaí do Chomhairle na hEorpa, don Eagras um Chomhar agus Forbairt Eaconamaíochta, do na Náisiúin Aontaithe, do Dhlí-Chomhlachtaí Idir-Rialtasacha, don Chiste Traenála Daoine ó Thíortha thar lear agus don Fhundúireacht Mheiriceánach-Éireannach; agus le haghaidh costais eile i ndáil leis an gcéanna.
Séard atá sa Mheastachán Foirlíontach so ná breis soláthair a dhéanamh le haghaidh costas imtheachtaí na Náisiún Aontaithe sa Chongó agus costas Fórsa Eigeandála na Náisiún Aontaithe i nGaza agus soláthar a dhéanamh le haghaidh Ciste na Náisiún Aontaithe don Chongó Ciste Traenála Daoine ó Thíortha thar lear agus íocaíochta leis an bhFundúireacht Mheiriceánach-Éireannach.
The Supplementary Estimate contains additional provisions for our contributions towards the cost of the United Nations military operations in the Congo and the Middle East for the six months period ended on 31st December, 1963. The last assessments which we received and paid in respect of these operations were for periods ended on 30th June, 1962. Provisions were included in the Vote for the current year for assessments which we anticipated we would receive for our share of the cost of these operations for the year ended 30th June, 1963. However, it was decided that the cost for this period would be met from the sale of United Nations bonds and at its Fourth Special Session, held in May, 1963, the General Assembly established a new basis for apportioning among member States the cost of United Nations operations in the Congo and the Middle East for the six months ended 31st December, 1963. It was not, therefore, possible to foresee this development when the Estimate for the current year was prepared.
Deputies will be aware that for the past few years the United Nations has been threatened by a continuing financial crisis resulting from the failure of certain member States to contribute towards the cost of peace-keeping activities of the Organisation. The principal defaulters take the attitude that the Security Council alone has the right under the Charter to authorise the financing of peace-keeping operations, the powers of the General Assembly being restricted to the making of recommendations which are not legally binding. Thus, on political and juridical grounds, many countries have withheld payments and undermined the whole financial structure of the Organisation.
The International Court of Justice was called upon to sort out the legal and constitutional questions involved and to give an advisory opinion on the point. This it did in July, 1962, when it announced that the ONUC and UNEF expenditures were "expenses of the Organisation" within the meaning of Article 17 (2) of the Charter. This opinion of the Court was accepted by the General Assembly at its Seventeenth Session by 76 votes to 17 against, with eight abstentions. However, the defaulting members still refused to be influenced by this decision, with the result that heavy arrears have accumulated in the ONUC and UNEF accounts. On the 31st December, 1963, including the current assessments, the arrears on foot of the ONUC account were $96 million and those on foot of the UNEF account were $33 million, a total of $129 million in all. When added to arrears in contributions to the Working Capital Fund and the regular United Nations Budget, the Organisation's total arrears now amount to $150 million.
The United Nations, as is well known, had to resort to the sale of bonds to tide it over the crisis. These bonds are repayable over a period of 25 years and carry interest at the rate of 2 per cent per annum. The defaulting countries have so far refused to buy these bonds and now refuse to contribute towards their redemption as provided in the United Nations regular Budget. We played our part in the bond effort by taking up $300,000 worth of the bonds.
The sale of these bonds brought in approximately $148 million and no separate assessments were made on member States in respect of the cost of peace-keeping operations for the year ended on 30th June, 1963. But, of course, this was only an interim measure until a formula could be evolved for the equitable sharing of peace-keeping costs. Accordingly, a Special Session of the General Assembly was convened in May of 1963 and charged with the task of putting United Nations finances on a firm basis. The Assembly adopted a resolution setting out general principles to serve as guide lines for the sharing of the costs of future peace-keeping operations involving heavy expenditure.
The main principles are: (i) financing of such operations is the collective responsibility of all members; (ii) economically more developed countries should make relatively larger contributions than economically less developed countries; (iii) voluntary contributions from members should be encouraged; (iv) the special responsibilities of the permanent members of the Security Council should be borne in mind in connection with their contributions and (v) special consideration should be given to the situation of member States which are the victims of the events or actions leading to peace-keeping operations.
The Assembly also adopted resolutions on the financing of the ONUC and UNEF operations for the six months ended on 31st December, 1963. Under the terms of these resolutions, the first $3.0 million of the ONUC expenditure and the first $2.5 million of the UNEF expenditure is to be shared by all members according to the regular scale of assessment for the regular Budget for 1963. Of the balance, the economically less developed countries were asked to contribute only 45 per cent of their mathematical shares and 26 countries listed, including Ireland, were called upon to make good the resulting short-fall by way of voluntary contributions. The Assembly considered this as an ad hoc apportionment arrangement for the present phases of the operations which was not to be construed as a precedent for the future. Thus for the six months period in question our assessment in respect of ONUC is $46,126 and for UNEF $13,279, plus a voluntary contribution of $6,300 towards both accounts. This gives a total of $65,705 or £23,560, whereas £14,250 was provided in the Vote for both operations.
Provision is also made in the Supplementary Estimate for a contribution of $25,000 to the United Nations Fund for the Congo. We made a similar contribution to this Fund in 1961 and I explained to the House at the time that this voluntary Fund is used under United Nations control and in consultation with the Central Government of the Congo for the purpose of assisting that Government to maintain certain essential public services with the ultimate objective of preserving its political independence, protecting and advancing the welfare of its people and safeguarding international peace.
The United Nations operation in most of the Congo has now largely turned from the maintenance of order to the provision of an extensive programme of economic and technical assistance with the major emphasis on the training of the Congolese themselves to assume the responsibilities of running their essential services. The needs of the Congo for outside assistance continue to be great and they extend over every aspect of the economic, social and administrative life of the country.
The target of the Fund for 1964 is $13 million and is required to provide the Central Government with foreign exchange requirements to ensure the continuation of certain essential services, including the employment of internationally recruited personnel such as doctors, secondary school teachers and magistrates.
It is extremely important that this part of the United Nations effort should not suddenly be allowed to collapse for financial reasons. If it proved necessary suddenly to pull out these essential experts and close down the programme of training in various fields, the Government and people of the Congo would suffer a severe setback and much of the effort of the United Nations in the past three years would have gone to waste. I hope, therefore, that the House will agree that the Government should continue to support the civilian operation in the Congo by making a second contribution of $25,000 to the Fund. Our total payments of $50,000 over a four year period to the United Nations Fund for the Congo could not be held to be excessive.
The provision in Subhead F is for the purpose of setting up an Overseas Training Fund of £50,000 to assist in the training in Ireland of nationals of the young African and Asian States in administration, management and technical skills. The Fund will be under the control of the Minister for External Affairs and grants and repayable advances will be made from it in accordance with regulations approved by the Minister for Finance. In every case the sponsoring Government or body concerned will be responsible for the emoluments of the trainees.
In setting up this Fund, the Government are giving recognition to their obligation to give increased assistance to the developing countries as our own economic capacity grows.
The services rendered to these countries over the years by Irish missionaries, doctors, nurses and teachers are well known. Some years ago the number of Irish missionaries in Africa, Asia and Latin America was estimated at nearly 6,000 and a recent UNESCO publication estimated the number of qualified Irish teachers working in Africa alone at 1,500.
Similar services in Ireland have been given in great measure by the universities and other post-secondary education bodies. In 1962/3 there were 1,100 students from developing countries at the National University, Trinity College, Dublin, and the College of Surgeons out of a total student population of 11,000.
As for Governmental aid, in addition to making annual contributions to the various multilateral aid-giving organisations over the past ten years or so, the Government have assisted the developing countries in two ways: Firstly, by arranging for Irish experts in various fields to work in those countries either under the auspices of the United Nations or its specialised agencies, or by bilateral arrangements. Since 1950 some 60 Irish experts have worked in 34 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America for periods averaging 18 months. Of these, 20 were medical experts and others were experts in such fields as public administration, agriculture, meteorology and telecommunications. This is a service which we are endeavouring to expand. Experts are required by the United Nations to have considerable experience in their particular sphere of activity.
Secondly, also since 1950, we have received either through international organisations or by bilateral arrangements close on 300 nationals of developing countries, some for long but the majority for relatively short periods, for training in various spheres such as public health, public administration, local government, statute law reform, human rights and the educational system.
The State-sponsored bodies have also played their part in this work. For example, Irish Shipping has accepted four Nigerians for a complete course of training as marine engineers; Aer Lingus has trained up to 80 African and Asian engineers and pilots in the maintenance and flying of planes; CIE has trained a group of Nigerians in diesel electric traction and Bord na Móna have co-operated with the Government of Pakistan in initiating peat development in that country.
The largest single scheme we have undertaken in the training field has been the acceptance of a large group of young Northern Rhodesians for training in public administration. When he visited Ireland last year Dr. Kaunda, recently elected Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia, pointed out that his country would be acutely short of administrators on gaining independence later this year and he requested that 40 students should be given up to a year's training in Government Departments and with local authorities in Ireland. It was arranged that the Government would advance the living expenses of the trainees against a guarantee from Dr. Kaunda that the money so advanced would be repaid by the Northern Rhodesian Government after independence. In accordance with Dr. Kaunda's wishes four of these young men are being trained in the Department of Defence, four in the Department of Justice, four in the Department of Local Government, and the remainder in local authorities.
At the request of the Government, the Institute of Public Administration has been good enough to undertake the general administration of the training scheme. I am happy to say that since their arrival towards the end of last year, these young men have been co-operating with enthusiasm and energy in the training arrangements, and that the reports on their progress are very satisfactory.
The practical training is being supplemented by courses for the students in administration and management in the Civil Service Training Centre and in the Institute of Public Administration.
The Overseas Trainee Fund is designed to meet the expenses of this scheme and to enable us to undertake further training schemes of the same kind.
The main items of expenditure in current training schemes are the specialised courses for the students in the Institute of Public Administration, their travelling expenses in Ireland and the salary of an officer specially recruited by the Institute to look after the training arrangements and the welfare of the trainees.
I understand that the Institute intend to expand their facilities for the training in public administration of nationals of developing countries and I would hope that the Government may count on their collaboration in future schemes of this nature. In view of the substantial aid which is given by various Foundations, largely American, to non-governmental bodies engaged in the training in administration of the nationals of developing countries, we would expect the Institute to endeavour to supplement any assistance from the Fund by seeking financial aid from all other possible sources. In such cases the Overseas Trainee Fund could assist the Institute to expand its work by means of repayable advances. Where assistance is not likely to be forthcoming from other sources, a grant would be made from the Fund. The existence of the Fund will ensure that lack of money will not prevent the Government from undertaking a worthwhile training scheme.
I feel that the proposal for the establishment of an Overseas Trainee Fund will commend itself to Deputies as being in keeping with the splendid traditions established by our missionaries, teachers, doctors and nurses over the years in Africa and Asia, and as a positive indication of our interest in the welfare of the newly-emerging States. The work of training and education which the Fund is designed to foster was, moreover, of particular interest to that great champion of the emerging nations, Dag Hammersjoeld, and I am happy to know that it is the intention of the Institute of Public Administration to be associated in this field with the work of the Dag Hammersjoeld Foundation. Because of the speed with which history is propelling the developing countries into independence, most of them find themselves disastrously short of trained teachers, administrators and medical experts. We can help them to help themselves by giving them basic training in administration or other technical skills. This is a form of aid which owing to our traditions and our history we feel Ireland is particularly suited to give to many of these new States.
I turn now to the Irish-American Foundation. As Deputies are aware, the American-Irish Foundation was launched on the occasion of the visit to Ireland of the late President Kennedy and the late President and President de Valera consented to become its Patrons. The Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit making organisation in New York in June, 1963. The principal objective of the Foundation is to promote cultural, intellectual, educational, literary and scientific relations between the United States and Ireland. The Foundation will sponsor the interchange between the two countries of students, teachers, lecturers, professors, writers, musicians, artists, etc.
The Foundation will be financed by donations and bequests and I understand that it is organising a fund-raising campaign in the United States.
The very large number of Americans of Irish descent in the United States are playing an increasingly important part in the political, educational and industrial life there. From time to time Americans of this kind have suggested that cultural and educational exchanges between Ireland and the United States should be increased. Already, of course, such exchanges are taking place. Under the scholarship exchange scheme administered by An Bord Scoláireachtaí Cómalairte and financed by an allocation of £500,000 from the Grant Counterpart Fund, a number of scholarships in the United States for Irish graduate students and for American lecturers and professors in Ireland have been provided annually since 1958. Exchange scholarships have also been awarded by the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in both Philadelphia and Washington and in 1959 through the generosity of Mr. Joseph P. Kennedy, father of the late President, a number of fellowships in American colleges were awarded to Irish students of economics and of pure and applied science.
It is hoped that the new foundation will prove an important and enduring advance in this field. With the encouragement and support of our Ambassador in Washington. Dr. Kiernan, a group of prominent Irish Americans has come together and formed this Foundation. The present Board of Directors of the Foundation consists of Daniel F. Cohalan, John Coleman, James Cummins, Roger Faherty, James Farley, Joseph Gannon, John McShane and Thomas J. Kiernan, our Ambassador to the United States. I am very happy indeed that the Foundation is governed by such a distinguished group and in view of their wide experience and their high reputation, I know that under their guidance the Foundation will prosper. The Foundation will, of course, have the full and wholehearted support of the Irish Government and as an earnest of their interest the Government have decided to make a capital contribution of £10,000 to the Foundation.
The establishment of this Foundation will, I hope, result in substantial benefits to both countries in the educational and cultural fields. Its success will mean educational opportunities at some of the great American universities and institutes for our graduates and will help Americans to study here and learn more about Ireland. Opportunities of this kind for young Americans and young Irishmen cannot readily be measured in monetary terms but it is clear I believe that in making this contribution to the Foundation, we are making a wise investment.
In conclusion, I should like to stress that in doing all we can to assist the Foundation, we shall be honouring in a particularly fitting manner the late President of the United States who throughout his brilliant career always showed the highest regard for education and culture and cherished the ties between Ireland and the United States. In seeking the authority of this House for a capital contribution of £10,000 to the Foundation, I do so in the knowledge that this will be yet another worthy memorial to the late John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
