Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I welcome the Minister of State, who is a regular visitor to this House and engages with us in a very frank, open and fruitful way. I have no doubt that this occasion will be no different. As he said in his concluding remarks, there was all-party agreement on the Bill in the Dáil and I have every reason to believe it will, and should, be the same here.

The Bill effectively enables Ireland to become a state party to the 2017 TPNW The Bill prohibits the transfer, development and use of nuclear weapons and creates penalties for participating in any of the banned activities outlined in it. Arms control efforts includes those efforts to limit existing weapons within one's state and their spread to other states, which is vertical versus horizontal proliferation, to use the technical terms. Development, testing, production, manufacturing, acquisition, possession, stockpiling, receiving and transferring of nuclear weapons is covered by this. Penalties are applied to individuals who are involved and are found guilty in attempting to procure or organise nuclear weapons in a particular state. If this is an entity, such as a corporate entity or an alleged organisation of some sort, individuals who are directors or leaders can be found personally liable. Some 25 states have ratified the treaty and we will join them as a consequence of this legislation, which is a progressive step.

There is new dimension to the nuclear arms race. Years ago, it was about superpowers and there was a sense that they cancelled each other out and there was the threat and the reality of what could happen, reinforced by the memory of Hiroshima, Chernobyl, and any of the events that have happened recently. The threat and fear had the capacity to create such a stand-off whereby nobody was going to step out of line. There is a new reality now in that terrorist organisations within states, and individuals associated with them, can become involved in the acquisition and the proliferation of nuclear arms without the state itself being necessarily involved. This legislation deals with that new contemporary reality that we are all aware of and fear greatly.

It is very important that Ireland should be at the forefront of this. We have a moral authority, which derives from our neutrality and our traditional peacekeeping role. This authority extends to the position of Irish political and other figures, including our various cultural diplomats, the religious, missionaries, politicians who have gone abroad to take part in international organisations, or any groupings leaving from Ireland who have brought with them the moral authority of our neutrality and our status as a peace-loving people who advocate for peace in the world.Our moral authority would be greatly undermined were we not to ratify this treaty. We would not have the kind of credentials that we have traditionally had, and that we should have. That makes it important to ratify it for its merits. It is important that we are to the forefront in doing that, in the vanguard.

It is regrettable that the five permanent members of the UN, namely, the UK, the US, France, China and Russia, are reluctant to engage in that they want a treaty to be in the context of an overall peace and security deal, an overall denuclearisation at the one time. That is not something we have control over, other than to speak about it, advocate and hopefully we will have a position of power within the UN to do it in the future. We are very strong on all international fora and should remain so in order to do that.

In essence, we cannot change the situation, but we must advocate for change and we must show good example by ratifying the treaty and the non-proliferation agreement here. The fines and the punitive dimension that go with the treaty are so important. Ireland must remain an advocate for peace and good values internationally. We are a small country, but we do punch above our weight internationally and we have five or six times the domestic population as part of an Irish diaspora, many of them in very influential positions abroad. That gives us a unique and disproportionate level of influence internationally and we continue to have that. It is important that we advocate for the right things. We must be champions of peace, nuclear disarmament, human rights, the rule of law and democracy everywhere. That is our duty as a country and it is a reflection of our values.

I am delighted that this legislation is before the House and that it will allow for ratification. That is very good. I am very happy that it is not the subject of contention or adversarial attitude within the Houses. It is important that the Bill would gain unanimous endorsement from our Parliament and that there is no ambiguity around that. If anything, people will hope that it will be even more effective. I do not think anybody would be in any sense opposed to it. I do not have much more to say. I have some briefing notes outlining the background to nuclear disarmament, but I do not see much merit in reading them into the record of the House, other than to restate our commitment and the importance of Ireland's role. We must be leaders in this sphere. We must be unambiguous and implement the legislation to the letter. That is our role. It is only then that we will have moral authority to go on to the international field and continue to talk about it there.