asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will contribute to the opening of a United Nations Information Office in Dublin which could be used by the general public and parliamentarians in order to be briefed on matters concerned with world hunger, injustice and peace.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - UN Information Office.
7.
The establishment, staffing and financing of a United Nations Information Office is a matter for the United Nations itself. Ireland is serviced by the official UN Information Centre in London. Anyone may contact the centre for information on the UN system and its activities. In addition, the Stationery Office act as an agent in Ireland for UN publications which may be purchased through its Sales Office in Molesworth Street. Members of the public may consult UN catalogues and order any available UN publication through this source.
I am aware that proposals have been made from time to time concerning the opening of a UN Information Office on an unofficial basis in Ireland. While I support activities which will make the aims and the work of the UN more widely known in this country, I am unable because of present budget constraints to give an undertaking to contribute financially to such a venture.
Given the very poor availability of information for parliamentarians and the public generally, and given the fact that we have a role to play as a Parliament and as a nation, would the Minister not agree that some facilities for consultation and research should be available? Since the Irish section of the UN are offering to provide them with some limited financial commitment from the Government, does the Minister feel we should try to meet that requirement?
I should like to see the work of the United Nations becoming more widely known and debated not only in Dublin but also throughout the country. That is a very desirable aim, but at the moment it is not possible for the Government to assist financially in the establishment of such a research centre.
The Minister said that he would like to see the work of the United Nations more widely known throughout the country. Since there is a UNESCO committee in existence would the Minister like to indicate to the House what support he can give that committee or what his views are about UNESCO and the problem UNESCO is having at the moment?
I answered that here the last time this matter came up at Question Time. My view is that the reform of UNESCO is necessary. Unlike other countries we believe that that reform will be best brought about by remaining as a member and trying to bring it about internally, rather than choosing to resign as some countries have done and try to force reform in that way. I do not think that is the correct way.
What about the UNESCO committee? Are the Minister's Department in a position to fund that committee in order to make the activities of UNESCO and the United Nations generally better known, which he stated he would like to do?
At the moment my Department could not take on the responsibility of funding any other committees than the ones we are funding at the moment. It is quite a long list.
Is the Minister happy about the facilities which are available to parliamentarians and the public with regard to information on international affairs?
I should like to see the work of the UN become more widely known not only in Dublin but throughout the country. That is a desirable aim, but at the moment I do not think it would be possible for the Government to assist financially the establishment of such a research centre. I think every publication of the UN is available in Molesworth Street. Any parliamentarian who requires further information can get it if he contacts my Department. That does not mean to say that I would not like to see the UN opening an office here, funded by somebody, so that there would be research facilities like those the Deputy has spoken of.
In this talk about a UN information office in Dublin to give information on hunger, justice and peace, I hope people will not overlook the fact that we are making a very major contribution to the purpose of the UN in the Lebanon. We have been talking about the UN and it might be no harm, in view of the service our troops are giving out there, to make at least a passing reference to them.
Does the Minister accept that it would help Deputies and the public if there was an annual report to the House on Ireland's activities in the UN?
I would need notice of that question because I am not quite sure what the Deputy has in mind. I do not know if he means that my Department would draw up a report on the work of the UN and that we would have a debate on it. If so, that can be done and I would probably include it in the debate on my Estimate. Perhaps he would like the UN to supply a report which we would debate. That would be a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.