Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in the context of the occasion of last week's fourth assembly of state parties to the Rome Statute held in the Hague, the Government's priorities for the development of the International Criminal Court and the nature of the funding and other support provided by Ireland to the court. [39281/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The fourth session of the assembly of states parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court took place in The Hague from 28 November to 3 December 2005. Amongst other things, the assembly adopted regulations on the trust fund for victims and a code of professional conduct for counsel, and decided to proceed with the establishment of a New York liaison office. In addition, the assembly approved the programme budget of the ICC for 2006. The working group on the budget was chaired by Ireland's ambassador to the Netherlands.

The assembly also welcomed Mexico as the 100th state to become a party to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Together with our partners in the European Union, Ireland has been a consistent and strong supporter of the ICC, recognising it as an essential means to combating impunity for the most serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. This position has been recognised in the EU common position of 2001, amended in 2002, and comprehensively updated in June 2003.

The 2003 common position commits the Union and its member states to support the effective functioning of the court, and to advance universal support for it by promoting the widest possible participation in the Rome Statute. In this context, Ireland welcomes the fact that over half of the international community of states is now bound by the Rome Statute.

In addition to their efforts to promote ratifications of and accessions to the Rome Statute, the EU and its member states have been generous supporters of initiatives to promote the court in third states and to strengthen the capacity of states to co-operate with the court. In this context, Ireland is providing funds towards a conference, entitled The ICC and the Arab World, which will take place in Jordan in February 2006 and has contributed €15,000 in 2005 to the fund for the participation of least developed countries at the assembly of states parties.

Ireland's assessed contributions to the ICC have been paid in full. In addition, this year Ireland contributed €100,000 to the trust fund for victims.

The International Criminal Court, while still young, is moving into its operational phase. During 2005 the court has almost completed its first investigation of a situation referred to it pursuant to the Rome Statute in Uganda and has issued its first arrest warrants in this regard. Investigations are at an advanced stage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo situation, and, following a referral from the UN Security Council, an investigation is ongoing in Darfur, Sudan. The court expects the commencement of hearings and trials in 2006.

Ireland remains committed to working with the International Criminal Court in the challenging times ahead.