Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department's commitment to international peace, security and human rights is channelled through programme D, which has a total allocation of just over €69 million. This compares to a provision outturn of €63 million in 2014. Most of the expenditure under this programme relates to Ireland's mandatory contributions to international organisations of which we are a member, including the United Nations, where the significant outturn relates to contributions to and support for peacekeeping operations. As I mentioned earlier, making a prediction on the matter of payments for this programme, particularly with regard to UN peacekeeping operations, can be difficult. Estimated costs are submitted, in some cases, 12 months in advance of when the payments might be finalised. Oftentimes, new missions might arise in response to an emerging crisis, and, of course, there is also the uncertainty with regard to currency fluctuations and exchange rates. All of the aforementioned factors can have an impact on the final outturn that will be due in any given year.

A key pillar of our international engagement under programme D is our input into shaping the formulation of the European Union's common foreign, defence and security policy, most notably at the monthly meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, in which I participate. As I mentioned earlier, there will be a special meeting of the council tomorrow.

We will continue to advance our human rights priorities through our membership of the UN Human Rights Council in 2015, our final year on the council. Last year we had a highly visible and active second year on the council, during which we saw the adoption of two important resolutions. Ireland will undergo its third periodic examination before the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in June of this year. We are co-ordinating Ireland's response to the list of issues requested by the CESCR. We continue to make a positive and active contribution to the work of our multilateral partners in targeted policy areas, including peacekeeping, conflict resolution, conflict prevention, international development and disarmament, and on UN Security Council Resolution No. 1325 on women, peace and security.

In 2015, disarmament and non-proliferation will remain a priority.

This will include participation in the review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; continuing engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, including through membership of the board of governors; participation in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and other counter-proliferation bodies supporting the effective implementation of the arms trade treaty; and making a contribution to the first review conference on the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

We will also be engaging with the developing international discussion on lethal autonomous weapons systems and the preparation for next year's review conference on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. That will also be a focus for us in the current year. We take our obligations and contributions seriously.

I acknowledge the contribution, advice, guidance and participation of the Chairman in many of these endeavours and the contribution of his committee members from time to time.