Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if an international conference on proposals to abolish the use of cluster munitions will take place here in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3804/08]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he will take to advance the most recent motion agreed unanimously by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs on cluster munitions. [3703/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 122 together.

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to campaign for a complete ban on the use of cluster munitions, Ireland has taken a lead role in international efforts and has been working intensively with a number of like-minded countries to this end. The Government will host a major Diplomatic Conference in Croke Park in May to negotiate a new instrument of international humanitarian law banning cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. It is intended that this will also provide for cooperation and assistance for survivors and affected communities, clearance of affected areas and destruction of stockpiles. The Dublin Diplomatic Conference will be a key step in the process, as it will see formal negotiation on the text of a Convention and I am hopeful of a substantial outcome. There is strong political momentum, with over 130 countries in attendance at the most recent meeting in Vienna last December and substantial representation envisaged at a further meeting in New Zealand later this month, the last discussion before the Dublin Conference. Good work is taking place to raise awareness of the issue at national and international level.

In further implementation of the commitment in the Programme for Government, the Government has endorsed my plans to bring forward proposals for the establishment of a national committee on international humanitarian law which will, as its first task, begin work on preparation of the legislation necessary to give effect in domestic law to a new Convention and to enact a domestic ban on the use of cluster munitions. I believe, as does the Cluster Munition Coalition, a network of around 200 civil society organisations and the key civil society partner in the process preparing the Dublin Diplomatic Conference, that it makes sense to await the detail of the Convention before finalising legislation, as this will probably have to cover a range of issues not limited to a domestic ban which should not be prejudged at this stage.

Since 2005, Ireland has provided support of over €6.4 million for mine clearance, risk-education and rehabilitation of survivors and I remain open to increased levels of funding for such activities and in implementation of the new Convention. With regard to the question of the investment of public funds, this would primarily be a matter for my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, and I have drawn his attention to the issue.

I welcome the attention given by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs to the issue of prohibiting cluster munitions nationally and internationally and supporting clearance, risk-education and rehabilitation of victims of explosive remnants of war, including mines and cluster munitions, and I look forward to working with the Committee to advance this important objective.