Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8 together.

I visited New York for UN high-level week from 21 September to 23 September. While there, in addition to delivering Ireland's national statement, I had the opportunity to engage with a number of other leaders in round-table discussions, at bilateral meetings and in the margins. I had formal bilateral meetings with the Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres; the President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kõrösi; the President of Nigeria; the Vice President of Uganda; and the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands.

I participated in a round-table discussion on prospects for the Sahel region, convened by the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres, and attended by regional states and organisations, as well as by members of the UN Security Council. I also participated in a sustainable development goals-related event on the implementation of the UN global accelerator on jobs and social protection, convened by Mr. Guterres and the Prime Minister of Belgium, Mr. Alexander De Croo. I took part in a panel discussion on jobs and social protection to recover from overlapping crises. This was alongside Vice President Alupo and facilitated by Mr. Achim Steiner of the UN Development Programme, who delivered a keynote address. I also attended a forum of small states reception, hosted by Singapore.

In my statement to the General Assembly, I said that all countries, no matter how small, have a contribution to make to international peace and security and to economic and social development and that all people have the right to live in dignity and have their human rights and fundamental freedoms respected. I noted, however, that this is not the case for those currently facing hunger and food insecurity, nor is it the case for those in Ukraine who are being bombarded by Russian missiles and for many people in Syria, Afghanistan or Palestine. I spoke also of the devastating impacts of climate change, which often affects most those who bear least responsibility for its causes. I cautioned that despite these challenges and their scale, we must not lose faith in the UN or protections that a rules-based international order, for all its shortcomings, provides. I highlighted the successes that Ireland has achieved working with partners during its current term on the Security Council – for instance, in terms of humanitarian access to Syria and on ensuring the role of women as peace-builders and agents of change is at the heart of UN peacekeeping and political missions across the globe.

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