Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the meetings he attended in New York; and the issues that were discussed. [30454/18]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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51. To ask the Taoiseach if he discussed the undocumented Irish at his meetings while in New York recently. [30455/18]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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52. To ask the Taoiseach the issues he discussed with persons (details supplied) when he met them in New York. [30534/18]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Taoiseach the way in which the group that attended the private lunch in New York were selected and on whose recommendations; the purpose of the lunch; and the issues that were discussed. [30708/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 51, 52 and 55 together.

I travelled to New York on Sunday 1 July to take part in a series of events marking the launch of Ireland’s election campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term.

I was joined at a number of these events by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, Minister of State Kehoe, Minister of State Cannon, and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Mark Mellett.

I was accompanied by a small delegation from my Department which included my Chief of Staff, an Assistant Secretary General, the Assistant Government Press Secretary, my Private Secretary, and a Security Officer from An Garda Síochána.

Since joining the UN in 1955, Ireland has made a sustained contribution to the international community’s efforts to tackle important global challenges like peace and security, human rights, international development, climate change and sustainable development.

We have always sought to be an active and fair member of the international community and we have a responsibility to actively engage with the UN.

Ireland’s candidature for the UN Security Council will deepen our UN engagement. It is central to our international agenda and underpinned by our strategy to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint by 2025.

The Government is committed to conducting a vigorous campaign over the next two years, before the election in June 2020. This will involve intensive engagement with all Member States at UNHQ in New York and in their capitals, to convince them of Ireland’s value as a candidate and what we bring to the UN.

The campaign will be premised on three key themes: Empathy, Partnership and Independence, and will be led in the first instance by Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Geraldine Byrne Nason.

On Sunday evening, as part of their support for Ireland’s campaign, U2 hosted international diplomats based at the UN at their concert in Madison Square Garden. The Irish Government delegation was also in attendance.

On Monday morning, I participated in a ceremony to pay tribute to the 88 members of the Defence Forces who have lost their lives over 60 years of Ireland’s participation on UN peacekeeping operations.

Later that day, I also met with a group of UN African Permanent Representatives to discuss the Ireland-Africa relationship and the need to work together on building greater peace and stability on the continent and developing more economic opportunities.

The official launch event took place on the North Lawn of UN Headquarters on Monday evening. The Tánaiste and I were joined by former President Mary Robinson and U2’s Bono for the event which was attended by over 400 UN diplomats and was a wonderful celebration of Irish food, music, heritage and culture.

I had the opportunity, in advance of the launch event, to discuss a number of important global challenges on the UN Agenda with former President Robinson and Bono. This included migration, gender, peace and security and climate change.

While in New York I also participated in a number of other events.

I attended a networking lunch hosted by Ireland’s Consul General in New York with some young Irish people working in the city who are contacts of the Consulate. In extending invitations, the Consulate sought to ensure representation of young Irish and Irish-Americans from a diverse range of sectors, including media, finance, tech and the arts, as well as gender balance.

Before returning home on Tuesday, I visited the New York Stock Exchange where I attended a breakfast meeting with a group of business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs supported by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland and had the opportunity to ring the opening bell.

Given the UN focus of my programme, I did not have the opportunity to discuss the undocumented Irish at any of my meetings.

In relation to foreign visits from July to December, the next European Council is scheduled for 18 October in Brussels, with the Asia Europe Meeting, ASEM, scheduled to take place immediately thereafter on 19 October.

The Austrian Presidency of the European Union also intends to organise an informal summit for Leaders on 20 September in Salzburg.

The final European Council of this year will take place on 13 and 14 December.

Other visits are being planned and will of course be announced once they are confirmed.