Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move:

“That Seanad Éireann:

acknowledges: - the time and effort committed by the officials of the Irish Government in the consideration of Ireland’s accession to the Antarctic Treaty;

- that there has been governmental interest in the accession of Ireland to the Antarctic Treaty and that this continues;

- the long association of Ireland with the exploration of the polar regions, especially the Irish contributions to the Heroic Age of exploration of the Antarctic, through people such as Shackleton, Bransfield, Crean, McCarthy, Forde, Keohane and others;

- the modern contributions made by Irish scientists, explorers and others who are involved in Antarctic activities, and that such involvement continues; is aware that: - the Antarctic Treaty System dedicates the continent for peaceful purpose, for the benefit of humanity and for the free exchange of scientific research;

- national conflicts have remained in abeyance under the Antarctic Treaty for more than half a century, including periods of extreme tension during which cooperation continued on the Antarctic continent and that a Pax Antarctica has prevailed;

- every national territory in the Antarctic has one or more stations of other countries operating within its boundaries and that no discord results;

- Irish scientists participated in the recent International Polar Years (2007-2009) whose programmes are concentrated in the Arctic and Antarctic and have ongoing involvement in programmes in these regions. It is noted that the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958) was a major motivation in the foundation of the Antarctic Treaty;

- the Antarctic Treaty is central to a progressive system which has succeeded in protecting Antarctica’s intrinsic geography, climate, wildlife and ecosystems from damaging practices while highlighting the globally detrimental consequences of external activities on the continent’s environment;

- the Irish Government recently applied for membership of the Arctic Council as an observer, based on Ireland’s position of neutrality, a consistent belief in global cooperation, concerns regarding climate change, strengths in scientific and technological research and a maritime influenced culture, heritage and identity. These arguments equally apply to the Antarctic Treaty; considers: - that the Antarctic Treaty, made in 1959 by twelve countries then directly involved in Antarctic research, now has 53 adherents whose governments represent some 80% of the population of the Earth;

- communication regarding Ireland’s accession to the Antarctic Treaty dated 4th October, 2010, from the Minister of the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Shackleton Autumn School, Athy, in particular that: ‘all Departments involved are aware of the importance of making progress on this issue before the end of the current Programme for Government in 2012’;

- Ireland’s expression of interest in our role in Antarctic heritage, through the donation made during President McAleese’s visit to New Zealand in 2007, to the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust towards the conservation of historic huts on Ross Island, the sites of expeditions during the ‘heroic age’ led by Ernest Shackleton and others; observes that: - in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine, are adherents to the Antarctic Treaty and there are 22 other countries involved;

- recent membership in the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research has been by Denmark and Portugal and that this committee is a basic part of the Antarctic treaty System;

- Malaysia on 31st October, 2011, Pakistan on 1st March, 2012, Kazakhstan on 27th January, 2015, Mongolia on 23rd March, 2015, Iceland on 13th October, 2015 and Slovenia on 22nd April, 2019 are the most recent adherents to the Treaty;

- that the paucity of Antarctic history of any of these states, especially compared to that of Ireland, is conspicuous; is cognisant: - of Dáil Éireann’s declaration of a climate and biodiversity emergency on 9th May, 2019 and that the Antarctic Treaty System offers a route for direct involvement in the future of Antarctica, one of the most important mediators of global climate and environment;

- that the benefits of adherence to the Antarctic Treaty may be secured without incurring major expenditure and that such membership will be an advantage to Irish scientific research and related Antarctic activity;

- that as a key active and passive actor in global climate, Antarctica concerns all global citizens and accession to the Antarctic Treaty is the principal vehicle for participation with all aspects of the Antarctic;

- that the Antarctic Treaty and its sub-arrangements are templates for apolitical, science driven agreements towards peaceful, globally beneficial objectives. The experience of their implementation along with international partners opens opportunities for application of their operating principles to other similar settings outside of Antarctica;

- that 2022 marks the centenary of the death of Ernest Shackleton in the Antarctic island of South Georgia where he is also buried. Shackleton was Ireland’s pre-eminent Antarctic persona and a leading global ambassador. Shackleton’s international comrades decreed that he was ‘from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, an Irishman....He has all the best characteristics of the Irish race’;

- of the opportunity for Ireland to mark the centenary of Shackleton’s death by making a commitment to advance our accession to the Antarctic Treaty;

- of the work that needs to be undertaken in order for Ireland to accede to the Treaty;

- of the commitment given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in September 2021, that his Department would undertake an assessment to establish the nature and extent of the administrative, policy and legislative commitments that would be necessary for accession to the Treaty, involving a number of Government Departments; requests: - an update from the Minister for Foreign Affairs on progress made by his Department in the assessment of the commitments necessary for accession to the Antarctic Treaty; urges the Government to: - promptly complete its assessment of necessary commitments for accession to the Antarctic Treaty; and

- commit to taking all necessary steps to accede to the Antarctic Treaty as soon as possible.”