Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 16 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 1

Written Answers. - Relations with UNESCO.

Tomás MacGiolla

Ceist:

693 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Education if she will make a statement on Ireland's present relations with UNESCO with special reference to the reactivation of a national commission composed of persons excluding departmental civil servants, professionally engaged in Irish educational, scientific and cultural activities.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The constitution of UNESCO states that, each member state should make its own arrangements in relation to the work of UNESCO. Normally this takes the form of a National Commission involving Government Ministries and other interests involved in the areas that come within UNESCO's competence.

In the case of this country, there has been no National Commission since 1983. However, my Department along with the Department of Foreign Affairs have dealt with UNESCO matters. In order to provide for wider consultations on UNESCO issues I have recently invited the other relevant Government Departments to participate in an Irish National Committee for UNESCO. The first meeting of this committee took place on 5 September of this year. There is a general conference of UNESCO taking place at present.

The future arrangements for Ireland's involvement with UNESCO will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of this conference.

One of the elements of this review will be the involvement of other relevant interests and bodies in addition to departmental representatives.