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

In truth, I do not believe we could succeed, even if we tried, in getting a specific emergency Security Council meeting on this issue. I do not believe the permanent member states would accept that and one must get consensus before one can get an emergency meeting on anything. It is important to be upfront about that.

This is an issue Ireland raised at the start of this week when it chaired a meeting to recognise the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. One of the key calling cards for Ireland in the UN is in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation. We continue to speak out in that area and we have raised concerns about the direction of travel with regard to this security pact. We will continue to speak out to ensure that this does not become, as the Deputy fears, the start of a new arms race.

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