Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I will be brief. I again thank the Deputy for drawing Members' attention to this issue. The Government's preparations for taking over the chairmanship of the OSCE are at an advanced stage. In the course of the autumn, I will undertake a considerable amount of bilateral work in which I will be wearing two hats, one obviously in respect of EU bilateral relations and the other pertaining to preparations for the OSCE and meeting other interested parties across the European Union and beyond.

I am proud of Ireland's record in the area of disarmament. We are rightly perceived internationally as having credibility and as having given strong leadership and unwavering commitment to achieving a nuclear weapons-free world. We have contributed to significant and not insubstantial achievements in freeing the world of landmines and cluster munitions. I assure Members the Government is committed to working to continue to make a difference in respect of both nuclear and conventional disarmament and in strengthening the non-proliferation regime. Implementation of the final document of the 2010 review conference and of the Convention on Cluster Munitions adopted in Croke Park three years ago are priorities, as is the negotiation of a robust arms trade treaty during next year's negotiations in New York. I note that while treaties are in place in a number of areas, what is needed in many cases is action to fulfil existing commitments, rather than new initiatives. As I indicated previously, making the dysfunctional disarmament machinery work is fundamental for the future. Progress in recent years has been facilitated by an improved international environment and renewed political will on the part of a number of states in possession of large arsenals of inhumane weaponry. It is to be hoped this will be maintained and translated into concrete steps and action, particularly in the forthcoming non-proliferation treaty review cycle. The ultimate goal of course is a nuclear weapons-free world and the Government will do all it can in the coming year to bring us closer to that day.

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