Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Senator Michael Mullins mentioned the Middle East peace process. We support the efforts which have been made through the Quartet that arose in September following the UN General Assembly where a statement and a timetable was agreed by the Quartet. We have been encouraging both sides to participate in talks and that was the focus of many of my discussions with the leaders whom I met at the weekend, in particular, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas. There are considerable difficulties and there are issues relating to mutual distrust. On the one hand, there are Israeli concerns in respect of security and, on the other, on the Palestinian side a sense that one can engage in talks forever but if settlements continue and the blockade of Gaza continues unabated, it has an undermining effect on the Palestinian leadership.

I am hopeful of some relaxation of the blockade regime in Gaza and that there will be some confidence building measures agreed by the Israeli side which will be to the benefit of the Palestinian people. I am working in close co-operation with Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

In regard to the Vatican embassy, I have addressed this issue, as Senator Mullins said at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade. The issue of whether the Villa Spadacan be used as a common home for both embassies is not a matter of choice for us. The position is that the Holy See will not agree to a single embassy being used to house both missions nor will it agree to have a single ambassador serve both Italy and the Vatican. If that position is relaxed on the part of the Holy See, certainly we can look at the issue.

The question of additional resources for the trade functions was raised by Senators Mullins and Higgins. We do not have additional resources. We are living in times when we have to work within the resources available. My Department with other Departments has had its budget significantly cut in recent years. The cut in the budget of my Department is close to 30% and there are significant reductions in the number of personnel. We are trying to make the best effective use of the resources and personnel available and to refocus on trade and, similarly, to work more closely with the agencies. Our general representation abroad is not just the Irish embassy. There is also Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia and sometimes representatives of other Departments in respect of different functions. We are endeavouring to get a more co-ordinated approach to that level of representation, led by the ambassador in each country and co-ordinated centrally in Dublin through the Export Trade Council.

I thank Senator Higgins for her comments in respect of the development aid programme. There has been a relatively modest reduction in the development aid budget for 2012 from €659 million to €639 million between the bilateral aid that is provided and the contribution we make to multilateral aid. It is a programme of which Ireland can be immensely proud. Even in difficult times, as we are now experiencing, we are making our contribution to relieving suffering, hunger and malnutrition among the poorest people, for example, in the Horn of Africa where there are 750,000 people who are starving, and in many poverty stricken parts of the world. Ireland can be enormously proud of the leadership it is giving, particularly in tackling hunger. This does not go unnoticed. Yesterday I got a complimentary remark from none other than Bill Gates who made the point that he was impressed, as are many people, that even in difficult times Ireland is maintaining its commitment to development aid and is standing by the poorest in the world. It is the right thing to do but it gives us a huge authority as a country when we speak with other countries and international institutions about other issues. When we speak to the ECB and the EU on matters that impact on us such as whether the debt arrangements can be re-engineered in some way and whether we can get a particular facility, the fact that we make a contribution and have a relationship with other countries and international institutions is advantageous as this is not a one-way street. One cannot just turn up when looking for something, one has to make a contribution. We make the contribution in the aid area and in human rights. We are seen as an honest broker that has a colonial past, its difficulties and conflicts and has an experience to bring to issues. That is the way in which we are carrying forward our foreign policy. That is the way my chair-in-office of the OSCE will work this year. The reason we are seeking membership of the Human Rights Council is to make that contribution in order that we can enhance our position.

Senator Higgins mentioned our diplomatic staff. I made the point to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade that we have a very small number, 347, of diplomats who serve internationally. We have 73 missions abroad which include our international missions. Other countries of similar size have many more, for example, Denmark has more than 800. We get enormous value from the committed and dedicated team of diplomats serving us. However, I am anxious to ensure they are not spread too thinly. We have to focus on the areas where they see most value.

Senator Zappone referred to the Human Rights Council, if it was football it would be called the group of death. It includes Ireland, the US, Germany, Sweden and Greece and is a very competitive field. As with any election, we seek the support of other countries and we are doing reasonably well on that front. The Senator mentioned the disability conventions. I am not sure where that convention is at in terms of its ratification but I will consult with the Departments concerned and write directly to her on it.

In regard to the points made by Senator Norris, Ireland is committed to complete and verifiable nuclear non-proliferation. We are working hard at international level to further this issue. We played a key role in the NPT review conference in 2010. We are sympathetic to the thrust of the resolution he mentioned. We are committed to getting an arms trade treaty. That will be a major priority for us this year on which negotiations are getting under way shortly. If I have left anything out, perhaps somebody could remind me.