Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position in relation to the discussions taking place on reform of the United Nations; and the progress being made in such discussions. [16847/08]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The UN World Summit held in September 2005 agreed a package of UN reforms which, while not as complete as might have been hoped, represented an important advance. My colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, contributed to the summit outcome in his role as one of the five special envoys appointed by former Secretary General Annan to support his recommendations for change aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the UN. Work to implement these reforms has been proceeding since then on a number of levels.

During the current session of the UN General Assembly, Ireland and Tanzania are leading the effort to reform the United Nations development architecture through the implementation of the recommendations of the high level panel on system-wide coherence. The panel reported in late 2006 and its proposals mainly centre on the development of a unified UN presence at country level, with one leader, one programme, one budget and a single office. As the only Member of this House who worked within the UN as a human rights fellow in 1978, I have found, since I became Minister of State, that the institution has not changed a lot and certainly in this area reform is required.

The core objective of these reforms is to improve the delivery of aid by the UN in developing countries. Since the publication of the panel report, pilot programmes have been established in eight countries, including in three Irish Aid priority countries, namely, Vietnam, Tanzania and Mozambique.

The Irish Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Paul Kavanagh, was appointed by the President of the UN General Assembly to co-chair, with his Tanzanian colleague, the process of consideration and implementation of the panel recommendations within the General Assembly.

More broadly on the reform agenda, discussions are continuing on the important issues of management reform and reform of the Security Council. Ireland has actively supported the continuing efforts to bring about improvements in the management of the UN, and improvements could certainly be effected. However, despite progress in a number of areas, there remains much more to be done. The President of the General Assembly recently highlighted the need to focus on three areas in particular the way mandates are formulated, implemented and evaluated; planning and budgetary processes; and human resource management.

As regards reform of the Security Council, Ireland's view is that a more representative, efficient and transparent Security Council is an essential aspect of reforming the UN to meet the many global challenges which we face. We welcome and support the current efforts of the president of the General Assembly to reinvigorate the debate. Following an open meeting on this issue on 10 April, he and his task force, comprising the permanent representatives of Bangladesh, Chile, Djibouti and Portugal, have initiated consultations with member states to take the process of Security Council reform forward. Following consultations, he intends to convene another meeting on this matter before presenting recommendations to the General Assembly before the end of this current session.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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I have respect for the Minister of State so he will excuse my stating that the reply conveys a disastrous failure with regard to United Nations reform. Drawing on his previous experience, he will recall no doubt that in 1981 the late and distinguished Erskine Childers and Brian Urquhart produced two excellent volumes on reform of the United Nations. It is interesting to note that those proposals 27 years ago were far more advanced than anything which came out of the consultation, with respect to the group of five and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Ahern.

Specific proposals were made for reform to the Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Where do they stand? Thinking about the rationalisation of the United Nations offices, it seems the net effect of this was to withdraw United Nations people from the field and have a greater ratio of people in headquarters. They were taken back from the point of contact.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Like the HSE.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Yes. With regard to development co-operation, it is not only that Ireland seeks a more representative Security Council within the UN. I suspect the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, may be better informed than most with regard to my next comment. The domination by the permanent members of the Security Council of a number of key posts, such as the offices of the UNDP, means they are effectively in the grip of certain countries. I could give several other examples. Who is responsible for human rights within the Government? To which Ministry has it been allocated? How are appointments made to the United Nations agencies? Are they advertised publically from the office in New York, as they are supposed to be? How do graduates in Ireland apply? Are they confined whereby vacancies which arise in the UN and its agencies are displayed in a limited sense here, perhaps within a Department?

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Although we are out of time I will allow the Minister of State to reply.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the general point the Deputy makes. I have taken a personal interest in the United Nations over many years and there can be no doubt whatsoever that if there was ever a body that needed reform, the UN is it. I also tend to agree with the Deputy on the issue of appointments. The permanent members have a disproportionate influence. I well remember that in 1978, when I was a human rights fellow in the United Nations, the person to whom I answered was a formidable Russian lady and her major concern with regard to my activities was that I made expenses claims at the appropriate high level. I do not believe that has changed.

There are many reasons to be cynical about the United Nations but we do not want to damage what is there.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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It is all we have.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Higgins above all does not want to damage, nor do I, the only hope the world has. Unfortunately, the lack of reform of the United Nations feeds into a particular scepticism in the United States about an institution in which resides so much hope. I will return to the Deputy on other specific points in writing.