Written answers

Thursday, 11 July 2019

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

UN Security Council

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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123. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of Ireland’s bid for a seat at the UN Security Council; the expenditure to date for the bid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30658/19]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are under eleven months remaining until the expected date of the election for the two available seats in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term. The campaign to secure a seat for Ireland is a priority across the whole of Government, which is taking the opportunity of all appropriate regional, multilateral and bilateral engagements to raise Ireland’s candidature.

In addition to political level engagement, officials at my Department in Ireland, at our Permanent Representations in New York and Geneva, and across our entire diplomatic network, have been actively promoting our candidature and seeking support.

In making our case to the 192 other Members States of the UN, we are highlighting our consistent record at the UN throughout more than six decades of active membership. We believe that Ireland’s record is recognised and respected, including in the areas of peacekeeping, sustainable development, humanitarian action, disarmament and human rights.

Representatives from more than 30 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) visited Ireland last month to participate in the annual Seafest/Our Ocean Wealth Summit. During their visit, the President, An Taoiseach, myself and a number of Ministers engaged with the representatives of the island nations and discussed Ireland’s values and our shared commitment to the multilateral system. Such visits offer the opportunity to UN Member States to travel to Ireland and develop a greater understanding of our country and of our candidature.

Campaign costs to date have been approximately €650,000 including the launch event at UNHQ in New York, promotional materials and campaign related travel and subsistence. Total spending by the end of the campaign will be dependent on a range of factors, particularly the number of lobbying visits and attendance at key international events undertaken over the next eleven months.

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