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

The question was about costs, so I will address that issue first and then come back to what we have achieved while we were there.

The costs incurred by Ireland during our campaign for a seat on the Security Council were approximately €860,000. This includes the event launch, promotional material and campaign-related travel and subsistence. These costs compare favourably with those of our competitors. Norway, for example, spent €2.8 million on its campaign. Canada, which we beat in that process, spent €1.5 million.  Estonia, which served on the Security Council from 2020 to 2021, spent €1.5 million on its campaign. 

Membership of the Security Council brings with it a significantly increased workload. The breadth and depth of the agenda has increased considerably since Ireland was last a member in 2001-02, and this requires a substantial contribution right across the Department. The additional workload is most notable at headquarters in Dublin and at our Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. Ireland’s embassy network also plays a central role, engaging with Governments and reporting on their approach to Council agenda items. Staffing has been significantly increased in New York, in headquarters and in a number of embassies. A dedicated Security Council task team in Dublin leads in coordinating our approach to all Security Council and UN issues.

Our tenure has involved some additional expenditure, including on salaries, premises, travel, meetings and other events. In New York, eight additional diplomatic officers, three attachés from the Department of Defence and 13 locally hired staff are working on Security Council issues, and they also cover other duties. Additional staff have also been allocated to the political division and development co-operation and Africa division at headquarters, as well as to key embassies in Africa and the Middle East. The Department’s allocated budget for the costs of Ireland’s UN Security Council tenure is €4 million in 2021 and 2022. 

Travel costs include participation by New York-based staff in UN-sanctioned committee visits to countries subject to arms embargoes and targeted sanctions, as well as travel by headquarter-based staff to countries on the agenda on the Security Council and for consultations with other Security Council members, and some travel between Dublin and New York. These increased resources help to ensure that Ireland can participate fully as a member of the Security Council and that we are properly informed in order that we can be as impactful as possible. Resources are kept under regular review.

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