Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 304: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on a campaign (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14039/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the campaign for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations. However, I am not convinced of the merits of the proposal.

The Interparliamentary Union already brings parliaments together and has regular meetings in the margins of the UN General Assembly. Irish parliamentarians are very active in its important work, of which I believe all of us in the Oireachtas are supportive. Therefore I do not see what value added a UN Parliamentary Assembly would bring. Furthermore, the 2004 Report of the High Level Panel on UN Reform did not come forward with such a proposal. Nor was there any support for the proposal from UN Secretary-General Annan in his reform initiatives of 2005.