Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Yes. With regard to development co-operation, it is not only that Ireland seeks a more representative Security Council within the UN. I suspect the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, may be better informed than most with regard to my next comment. The domination by the permanent members of the Security Council of a number of key posts, such as the offices of the UNDP, means they are effectively in the grip of certain countries. I could give several other examples. Who is responsible for human rights within the Government? To which Ministry has it been allocated? How are appointments made to the United Nations agencies? Are they advertised publically from the office in New York, as they are supposed to be? How do graduates in Ireland apply? Are they confined whereby vacancies which arise in the UN and its agencies are displayed in a limited sense here, perhaps within a Department?

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