Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

78. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the way the United Nations can be enhanced in order for the international community to deal with current threats. [37741/14]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This question concerns reform of the United Nations, UN, and how the Minister believes that could be enhanced to make it more effective.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The essential requirement for effective action by the United Nations in the face of any challenge or threat is political will on the part of the member states and particularly the permanent members of the Security Council. The undoubted achievements of the UN Organisation over the years amply demonstrate its capacity to act decisively and effectively when the necessary political will is forthcoming. This requires that all member states demonstrate, and co-operate to ensure respect for, the norms that have been established to regulate relations between states and to protect the personal rights of all members of the collective human family wherever they may reside. These include respect for the rule of law, including the legal norms governing the sovereignty of states and the protection of human rights. Nevertheless, UN structures and systems are certainly capable of improvement and Ireland has been in the vanguard of countries working towards and for reform. In particular, the functioning of the UN Security Council is crucial for the effectiveness of the whole UN system as primary responsibility for ensuring the maintenance of international peace and security is vested in the Council under the UN Charter.

Ireland and its partners in the accountability, coherence and transparency, ACT, group, comprising 21 states across the world, have been actively promoting new approaches to the work of the Security Council. A particular concern is the veto power given to the permanent members of the Security Council in 1945 which has often proved an impediment to effective action or, in some cases, to any action at all. Accordingly, we welcome the initiative put forward by France and actively supported by Mexico to better regulate the use of the veto power by permanent members of the Security Council. While we consider this power an anachronism, and something which should eventually be abolished, the French proposal is a necessary step in the right direction and deserving of support.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. He mentioned political will. That the permanent members of the Security Council have and maintain a veto means there is no need for political will because they can decide which issues are progressed and which are not by using that veto. How does the Minister propose to encourage removal of that veto or how would it be abolished? What is the process within the United Nations for that? What is Ireland doing to make that happen? Do the members of the Security Council have a veto on the removal of the veto?

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I recently spent some time in the United States and had the opportunity of spending four days at the UN General Assembly attending several important and positive meetings covering a range of issues. With particular reference to the French proposal on the veto, the permanent five, P5, would make a mutual commitment to the effect that if the council were required to make a decision regarding, for example, a mass crime, they would suspend their right to veto.

A key element of this would be the mechanism used to determine that a mass atrocity has been committed. This has yet to be determined. There are ongoing meetings and discussions in that regard.

With regard to the question of whether the French proposal might be accepted by the five permanent members of the Security Council, I assure the House that there is, in all likelihood, little current prospect of the proposal winning the support of Russia or China. Even if it is not adopted in the near future, however, at least it has legitimised a debate about the ways in which the veto held by the five permanent members of the Security Council - a prerogative which is deeply unpopular - might gradually be dismantled. France is working hard to consult the UK and the US because it knows the support of both is crucial if Russia and China are to be put under real pressure on this issue. The UK has indicated its openness to the French proposal. The US has not ruled out such an arrangement. Russia and China have expressed reservations and are sceptical. I assure the Deputy of Ireland's positive and active engagement in making progress with these matters, in so far as that is possible.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Can we be sure that the US is committed to the process of altering the veto? It is very active in using the veto to prevent anything that might look to harm its interests in the Middle East, particularly in Israel, from taking place. Have there been discussions with the US in relation to its commitment to easing the use of the veto?

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that we will actively encourage the French authorities to move on their proposal. We acknowledge the support of Mexico. That continues to be our position. We will continue to influence and encourage member states to deal with this issue, which we recognise to be most unsatisfactory in its current format and guise.