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

The advancement of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation goals is a signature foreign policy for Ireland. It will continue to be important throughout our membership on the UN Security Council. My Department will engage constructively on efforts to combat nuclear proliferation with a strong focus on situations on the Security Council agenda, namely Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK.

Ireland, like our EU partners, takes the view that the joint comprehensive plan of action, JCPoA, endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2231, is a major achievement of multilateral diplomacy and an important contribution to nuclear non-proliferation. Ireland remains strongly committed to the JCPoA and supports all efforts to safeguard it, as it offers the best mechanism for dialogue with Iran, and to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It has significant provisions in terms of inspections and transparency.

The continuation of the DPRK’s nuclear and missile activities breaches numerous Security Council resolutions, represents a serious threat to international peace and security and undermines the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime. Ireland continues to call on the DPRK to make progress on complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. Ireland is fully aligned with the EU policy of critical engagement with the DPRK, supporting efforts at dialogue, while fully implementing sanctions until progress on complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation is made.

As a Security Council Member, Ireland will also contribute to the work of the Committee on Security Council Resolution 1540, which addresses proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, as well as their means of delivery, to non-state actors.

Ireland’s term on the Council will coincide with the re-scheduled tenth review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In furtherance of our nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation priorities, Ireland ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 6 August 2020, marking the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.

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