Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. His timing is excellent. Disarmament and non-proliferation is a priority and the Government is committed to seeking further progress in this area in the coming year. As the Deputy pointed out, Ireland's engagement on this agenda goes back to the 1950s and then Minister, Mr. Frank Aiken. Nuclear non-proliferation and implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have been priorities of Irish Governments for more than 50 years and we have a proud record of engagement and achievement in this very important field.

The NPT, the primary international mechanism for controlling the spread of nuclear weapons, is reviewed every five years. The 2010 review conference adopted forward-looking action plans across all three pillars of the treaty - disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy - and on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Full implementation of these plans would considerably reinforce the non-proliferation regime. The first preparatory committee in the 2015 review cycle will take place in Vienna in May 2012, and this will offer an important opportunity to assess progress. Ireland played a crucial role in the 2010 negotiations and it is our intention that we will maintain our active role in the upcoming review cycle.

A number of practical steps were agreed in 2010 on implementation of the 1995 Middle East resolution, including the convening of a conference in 2012 on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction. Ireland brokered this important agreement. While progress on its implementation has been disappointing to date, I hope the 2012 conference will take place and Ireland will do all it can to make it a success.

An important objective for the coming year here will be to negotiate a strong and robust arms trade treaty at a diplomatic conference in New York. This must address the challenges posed by unregulated trade in conventional arms and their diversion to the illicit market, and it must prevent these weapons from threatening security and development or violating human rights and international humanitarian law. Ireland has been active in preparatory work for an arms trade treaty, and this continues to be a priority issue. There will also be a review in 2012 of the UN programme of action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons which cause death and injury to hundreds of thousands of people every year, and Ireland will work to strengthen the programme of action.

The Government remains firmly committed to the elimination of all cluster munitions, which cause unacceptable harm to civilians, and implementation and universalisation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, CCM, adopted in Dublin in 2008, is a key objective. At the second meeting of States Parties in Beirut earlier this month, Ireland was appointed co-ordinator on clearance for 2012-13. It is the Government's intention to work hard in the year ahead to make significant progress in supporting implementation of the CCM on this key provision on clearance and destruction of cluster munition remnants, an area in which Ireland has considerable expertise. We also hope that it will be possible to conclude a CCW protocol in Geneva this year, compatible with and complementary to the CCM, which will extend further the protection of civilians from unacceptable harm caused by cluster munitions.

A critical concern remains the dysfunctional UN disarmament machinery, particularly the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, which, as the Deputy noted, has failed to do substantive work for more than a decade. An important priority is revitalisation of the machinery to make it more responsive to 21st century challenges.

I assure the Deputy and the House of the Government's commitment to work to the full to achieve progress on the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda in the year ahead.

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