Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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316. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland voted during a recent vote at the United Nations in relation Saudi Arabia's seat on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women; the reason for the position taken at the vote; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22110/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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At the UN voting on resolutions takes place in public and there is transparency about the policy positions adopted by countries.

Since 1947 the rules of procedure governing General Assembly elections provide that UN elections take place by secret ballot. The well-established convention among the 193 Member States of the UN is that votes are not publicly disclosed as to do so could seriously damage bilateral relations between States. It would also likely seriously disadvantage smaller States. Accordingly, I do not propose to abandon a practice that has been in place for over six decades and observed by all previous governments. To do so would be harmful to Ireland’s capacity to engage at the UN and harmful to our capacity to conduct sensitive international relations.

It should be noted that in the election to the Commission on the Status of Women, the Asia-Pacific Group put forward five countries for five seats on the 45-member Commission which produces non-binding conclusions on an annual basis.

Ireland has a very strong record on promoting the rights of women and girls at the United Nations. We are a leading voice in this field and we currently chair the Commission for the Status of Women.