Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he plans to attend the opening plenary session of the United Nations in autumn 2007; if he and the Irish delegation have set up bilateral meetings; the subjects he hopes to discuss specifically; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18678/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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It is customary for Foreign Ministers to attend the opening plenary session of the UN General Assembly in September each year.

I attended the General Assembly last year, and, in addition to delivering the national statement on behalf of Ireland, I met with the outgoing Secretary-General and the new President of the Assembly. I also held a number of bilateral meetings with Ministerial counterparts.

I intend to attend the opening session of the General Assembly again this year. Arrangements for the session have yet to be finalised by the UN Secretariat. Once the arrangements are clear, the Irish Permanent Mission to the UN in New York will start to organise a range of bilateral meetings with other Ministers who will be present in New York at the same time. While the precise subjects for discussion will depend on which of my colleagues it will be possible for me to meet, I expect they will include UN reform, development issues, peace-keeping, Northern Ireland, conflict resolution and particular regional issues. I would also normally take advantage of being in New York to meet a range of US and Irish American contacts.