Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Apr 1996

Vol. 464 No. 5

Written Answers. - Safety of UN Personnel.

Eric J. Byrne

Ceist:

32 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when the Government will sign and ratify the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel; the proposals, if any, he has for enforcing the convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8355/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Ireland will proceed to ratification of the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel as soon as the process of enacting the necessary domestic legislative measures to give effect to the provisions of the Convention has been completed.

The Convention is a welcome and important initiative aimed at protecting UN and associated personnel, both military and civilian, who are serving with dangerous UN missions. It is particularly relevant in the context of the increasing number of peacekeeping operations which involve interventions in situations of civil and ethnic strife and give rise to an increased risk to the safety and security of UN personnel. Ireland, along with other countries with a tradition of service with UN peacekeeping missions, was active in promoting agreement among member states on the adoption of such an international instrument to address this problem.