David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken on the international stage to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13024/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The next scheduled review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, NPT, will not take place until 2010. It will be preceded by a series of preparatory meetings beginning in 2007. Ireland will in the meantime continue to work with like-minded countries in identifying areas where implementation of the treaty can be strengthened.

At the last NPT review in May 2005, there were a number of specific proposals on actions that states parties might take to meet the challenges confronting the treaty. Regrettably, the conference ended without agreement on substantive conclusions and recommendations on how to strengthen the non-proliferation regime.

I have made clear, including in my address to the United Nations General Assembly in September, the Government's deep disappointment at this outcome. This was a missed opportunity for the international community to tackle some key threats to global peace and security and to agree an effective collective response. We are firmly of the view that the NPT is now more than ever of tremendous importance to the achievement of international peace and security. Action to strengthen the treaty, and ensure full respect for all its provisions, remains essential and we will spare no effort in pursuit of this objective.

Ireland is committed to the full implementation of the NPT and believes that the 13 practical steps outlined in the outcome document of the 2000 NPT review conference set out a clear road by which the objective of nuclear disarmament can be reached.

In Geneva earlier this month, the permanent representative of Ireland to the conference on disarmament reiterated the Irish position with regard to the NPT and emphasised the need for greater transparency on the part of the nuclear weapons states in their respective nuclear disarmament processes.