Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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107. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the UN and Ireland through its membership of the UN Security Council continue to remain alert to the various threats to children from whatever source on a worldwide basis; the actions in hand in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57724/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland participated in the UN Security Council Open Debate on 19th July 2022 following the release of the annual report by the UN Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict.  The Secretary General's report examines both trends and specific country situations, listing all armed groups that recruit and use children.  In our statement, Ireland expressed dismay at the high numbers of children killed and maimed globally last year, notably in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan, as well as during the escalation of violence in May 2021 in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

We also highlighted emerging trends around grave violations and new situations of concern, including Ethiopia, Mozambique and Ukraine. Ireland offered a number of reflections to advance the Children and Armed Conflict agenda.  This included: calling for parties of conflict to uphold international law; sufficient funding; holistic reintegration and peacebuilding; and objective, impartial and transparent listing of perpetrators in the annex of the annual report, including based on patterns and trends, in order to promote accountability. Ireland continues to engage actively in a number of UN Security Council Conclusions on Children and Armed Conflict.

Ireland, as an active member of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, remains fully committed to addressing concerns and following up on recommendations in the relevant countries. We have also co-sponsored biennial resolutions on the Rights of the Child at the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in 2022 and at the 76th UN General Assembly Third Committee in 2021.