Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Feb 1990

Vol. 395 No. 4

Written Answers. - UN Finance Due.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

21 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, which have been taken to secure payment of essential finance due from the United Nations; the payments which have been made over the past ten years; the years in respect of which arrears of payment are due; if interest accrued is also payable; if so, the period for which it is payable; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Collins)

I avail of every suitable opportunity to raise with the representatives of countries in arrears in respect of UN peacekeeping the desirability of paying these arrears at an early date. This point has been made to the representatives of the USA and the USSR many times. I have also discussed the matter with the UN Secretary General, who is deeply concerned about the financial situation of the peacekeeping forces.

The total amount received by Ireland from the United Nations in respect of UNIFIL to date is £59.5 million. We have also received payments in respect of our involvement, on a smaller scale, with UNFICYP, UNIIMOG, and UNTAG. The amount still due is £17.7 million of which £17 million relates to UNIFIL and £0.7 million to UNFICYP.

This deficit arose largely as a result of the failure of Eastern European countries to pay their contributions to UNIFIL. It grew considerably after 1986, when the USA stopped paying its full assessed contribution to UNIFIL. The USA and the USSR have the largest arrears in respect of UN peacekeeping. Both have, however, stated their intention to pay their assessed contributions to UNIFIL in full in the future and to repay the amounts they owe over a number of years. The Soviet Union have already begun to do this and recently paid a further sum of $40 million towards its UN peacekeeping arrears, half of which is earmarked for UNIFIL. We expect that our share of this payment will be passed on to us very shortly. Interest is not payable on the amount outstanding.

It is worth noting that payments in respect of the other peacekeeping operations in which Ireland is involved are not in arrears.