Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If one is trying to influence the debate that is going on inside the tent, deliberately deciding to stay outside it does not allow one to progress the agenda. We want to be inside the tent persuading and arguing with people and getting the Irish perspective across. We have done that very successfully in the past. In the aftermath of 11 September 2001, for example, and the subsequent so-called war on terror, Ireland, as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, was a consistent voice emphasising the need to account for and prioritise the humanitarian fallout from the associated military activity, particularly in Afghanistan. This country has a reputation for being consistent and vocal on humanitarian issues and a strong record of peacekeeping, where we have more experience than virtually any other country in the world. In fact, we have 60 years of unbroken peacekeeping service, which no other country can claim. The UN Security Council will increasingly be involved in designing and signing off on mandates for peacekeeping operations. There is a great deal of work to which Ireland can make an important contribution, and we should compete for membership in that context. It will cost money to secure success, although I do not have an exact figure. However, the opportunity to participate in the work of a body that makes huge decisions impacting on populations throughout the world means we should aspire to be at the table. We hope to be there in 2021.

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