Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for being so accommodating. The House will be pleased to hear that Deputy Michael Higgins is having a routine operation on his neck, which is a vulnerable part of any politician's body, and is making a good recovery. I will talk to him after this and will convey the Minister of State's good wishes.

In response to his comprehensive reply, can the Minister for State state whether the Government has formulated a preference for either of the two models for restructuring of the Security Council put forward in the report? Has the Minister of State any views with regard to the methods of voting, not simply the question of the exercise of the veto? Does he believe the Security Council should adopt a system of multi-layered voting, not unlike the system used by the Council of the European Union?

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