YouSaid · the spoken record

Charles Flanagan

lines on the record: 63
first: 2014-09-24
most recent: 2016-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“These are the values, purposes and principles that Ireland has stood up for throughout our engagement with the United Nations regime, and which will inspire our contribution to the Security Council, should the membership entrust us with that responsibility in the 2020 election.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Ireland believes that the Security Council membership should be more balanced and ensure wider regional representation, particularly with regard to Africa. The more open, transparent and inclusive process taking place this year to select the new Secretary- General is a positive step in the right direction. We must collectively do all that we can to ensure that the 65 million people currently displaced, whether by conflict, natural disaster or oppression, are provided with the essential services to which they are entitled. We need to uphold on all occasions the values, purposes and principles of the United Nations.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Ireland will always speak out to defend minorities who continue to suffer persecution because of religion, belief, ethnicity or gender, or a host of other reasons. We will continue to work on the European Union resolution on freedom of religion or belief during this session of the General Assembly. On the matter of United Nations reform, I am pleased that the agreement reached on the SDGs has showed what the United Nations can achieve when working at its best. We call for all members of the Security Council — in particular China, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and France — to refrain from voting against credible draft resolutions on action to halt the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, including conflict-related sexual violence.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We absolutely commit to holding our own troops fully accountable for their behaviour when they are deployed overseas. Human rights abuses are among the root causes of migration. Moreover, migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons, in particular women, children and vulnerable people, can also be at risk of human rights abuse both during their journey and on arrival at their destination. Ireland is committed to defending those who defend the human rights of others, including journalists and other civil-society representatives who face increasing restrictions and threats in many parts of the world. Our leadership in the adoption of Human Rights Council resolution 32/31, on civil society space, last June enabled the international community to send a strong message of solidarity to those at risk.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I therefore urge colleagues in the United Nations to ensure that our troops are adequately supported as they go about this important, challenging and often dangerous work. In Ireland, service with the United Nations is rightly regarded as both noble and important. The effectiveness of the United Nations depends on its positive reputation as a force for good in the world. Therefore, it is critical that the performance, behaviour and reputation of troops or civilians engaged in United Nations operations be held to the highest possible standard. Sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers sent to conflict zones to protect innocent civilians from harm is totally unacceptable. Ireland calls for an end to impunity for these crimes.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I take this opportunity to commend Irish soldiers and police participating in seven United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world for their courage, their bravery and their sacrifice. An Irish Major General assumed the role of Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in July, and in November, we will assume the leadership of its Irish/ Finnish battalion. We also remain actively committed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force. I recently visited troops in the Golan and was very struck by the greater challenge of their operating environment today, compared with that of when the mission was established some years ago.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Effective and responsible United Nations peacekeeping is an important means of preventing forced displacement at a time of conflict or uneasy peace. Ireland is strongly committed to its active role in United Nations peacekeeping operations. We are proud of our unbroken record of service extending over almost six decades. This year we marked 100 years since our own Easter Rising, which set Ireland on the final phase of our path to independence, a highlight of our ongoing commitment to peace, development and freedom. Our commemoration included a parade of our defence forces marching through the streets of our capital city, Dublin. Many of those marching proudly wore the blue berets of the United Nations, as an emblem of their service with this great Organization.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We have seen this year — in fact, we have seen this month — how a State Member of the United Nations can show in stark terms the reality of the risk of a nuclear detonation. Ireland wishes to see genuine progress on multilateral nuclear disarmament, building on the work of the Open-ended Working Group. We are also concerned at evidence of harm to civilians from the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects and consequences in populated areas. The disproportionate gender impact of nuclear weapons and of illegal arms transfers and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons is also a matter of great concern to us, as is the need to ensure greater gender balance in all disarmament discussions.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We are pleased to offer whatever assistance we can to the process of rebuilding the country after decades of violence, including through the sharing of our experience in Northern Ireland. We wish the people of Colombia well at this time of hope. As part of our commitment to conflict prevention and resolution, we have championed, over many long years, the matter of disarmament and non-proliferation, which must be placed at the fore of our collective efforts to prevent or minimize the impact of future conflict. We must all be mindful of the grave humanitarian consequences of any nuclear detonation, as well as the devastating impact of conventional, biological and chemical weapons.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Those conflicts are severely hampering sustainable development on the continent and creating enormous humanitarian burdens for the affected countries, indeed for neighbouring countries as well, and the wider international community. On a positive note, Ireland warmly welcomes the historic peace agreement reached in Colombia last month following five decades of conflict, four years of talks and, tragically, the killing of over 225,000 people. Each of these deaths represents a horrendous loss to their families and their loved ones and to their communities. We look forward to the signature of the final peace accord later this month, and we welcome the vital role played by the United Nations in monitoring the implementation of that process. Ireland is committed to actively supporting the Colombian peace process.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The United Nations must play a central role in efforts to create the conditions for finding a political solution. Six years into the horrific conflict in Syria, Ireland reaffirms its full support for the tireless efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to bring about an end to the devastating conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. We urge everybody in this Hall to play his or her part. The continent of Africa is of course the source, but also the host, of the largest number of migrants and refugees, many of whom are fleeing war and poverty. Ireland calls for a transparent, accountable and human-rights-based resolution to the numerous conflicts in African countries, such as South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We are committed to strengthening our engagement on these priorities during our membership in the Commission on the Status of Women, which commences on 1 January 2017. Ireland calls for the implementation of the conflict- prevention and peacebuilding aspects of the three high- level reviews of the United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding systems, which took place in 2015, and for a sustained commitment to the women and peace and security agenda. We in Ireland know all too well that negotiating lasting political solutions for conflicts is often a lengthy task, with many stops and starts and setbacks along the way. Ireland welcomes and is actively participating in the initiative led by France to revive the stalled Middle East peace process, with the aim of leading ultimately to a negotiated two-State solution.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“However, I can say that on my own island, on the island of Ireland, for many years we experienced conflict, terrorism and loss of life. And with the support of a wide array of stakeholders, we eventually and painstakingly managed to build a sustainable peace process. Our lived experience of building peace and the ongoing process of reconciliation on the island of Ireland mean that we are particularly conscious of the persistent and determined commitment required to overcome conflict. We therefore give priority to investment in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconciliation. We recognize the importance of the empowerment of women so that they can have a visible and recognized role in the decision-making process. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are key cross-cutting priorities for my country, Ireland.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The United Nations has a central role in humanitarian action. Ireland strongly supports the efforts to reform the United Nations system and coordination mechanisms to ensure a more effective response to the complex humanitarian needs around the world, including the protection of vulnerable groups in emergencies, most notably women and girls. The most immediate trigger of mass migration is violent conflict, which forces great numbers of people to flee their homes and leave their communities. The horrific human toll of the grinding conflict in Syria mounts daily, and many countries in the region and far beyond are grappling with the large-scale displacement of people that this conflict has created. No two conflicts are comparable.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“To provide those opportunities, the SDGs set out an approach that involves investment in health care, education, water and sanitation and other essential services. As States Members of the United Nations, we are now called to meet our obligation to implement the SDGs domestically within our own borders, bilaterally with our development partners, and multilaterally within regional and United Nations forums. Long-term action on underlying causes must be complemented by urgent steps to address the daily suffering arising from the refugee and migrant crisis. Ireland is committed to honouring pledges made at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. We must collectively ensure that in addressing crises closer to home we do not allow the more protracted crises, those that do not appear in the headlines on a daily basis, to be forgotten.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“On the occasion of that important anniversary, two things were clear: first, the global challenges confronting the United Nations were more complex than ever before, and secondly, the United Nations and the international community have the potential to respond to these challenges in a comprehensive way. We demonstrated this potential through the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the SDGs, which were greatly significant in that they embody commitments by Member States to working across a range of issues to eliminate poverty and achieve sustained development over the next 15 years. The determined implementation of the SDGs will enable us to address many of the root causes of migration. Lack of economic opportunity is a substantial driver of migration.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I will set out how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — which the United Nations agreed one year ago following a successful facilitation process shared by Ireland and Kenya — have the capacity, when implemented, to address many of the root causes of migration, by ending poverty, reducing inequality and responding to climate change. Ireland is seeking election to the Security Council in 2020. We believe that our values and principles and our steadfast commitment to the United Nations will enable us to make a valuable contribution if we are successful in that election. Today, I am asking for support from the nations that share these vital values. Last year, the United Nations marked 70 years since its establishment. At that time, we in Ireland celebrated 60 years of active membership.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Here, at United Nations Headquarters, Ireland has acted as a facilitator, together with Jordan, to deliver the agreement on the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (resolution 71/1). I wish to take this opportunity to commend Ireland’s team at the United Nations, led by Ambassador David Donoghue, and our Jordanian colleagues, for their stalwart efforts over five months of negotiations among 193 Member States. Ireland accepted this leadership role at the United Nations because we know that no country can by itself resolve the vast challenges the world currently faces. In my address, I wish to set out why I believe a multilateral approach is the only one that can work and why the United Nations must demonstrate its capacity to really deliver on solutions.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“These are challenges that no one country can resolve alone. These are challenges that must all be tackled at the same time. These are challenges that require the international community of nations to work in close cooperation to overcome them. Ireland is responding to the migration crisis in a variety of ways. We have given priority to funding humanitarian relief. We have provided over €60 million in support of the Syrian people in the region, most of it through United Nations organizations. We have deployed ships from our naval service to the Mediterranean to assist with vital search-and-rescue missions. Ireland is participating in the European Union programme to resettle refugees fleeing conflict.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Our own history as a people forms the enduring backdrop to our foreign policy agenda. That part of our past is unfortunately the tragic present for so many. The origins of the migration crisis are complex and diffuse. Many migrants and refugees are fleeing conflict and violence; many others are fleeing poverty and deprivation. The vast scale and sustained nature of the movement is at times bewildering and threatens to overwhelm our rules-based migration systems. It confronts us with a wide array of problems to overcome all at the same time: the harrowing violence in Syria, the barbarism of Da’esh, the collapse of order within Libya and the practices of ruthless people-smugglers. The continuous poverty and inequality in many parts of Africa is also a significant driver of the mass movement of people.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I am very pleased to have the opportunity to address the General Assembly this afternoon on behalf of my country, Ireland. My address will be framed under the overall theme of migration, an issue which in itself is a huge challenge for the global community today, but also an issue that intersects with so many of the other challenges we continue to grapple with as a community of nations. As I stand at this rostrum in the great city of New York, I am acutely aware of my own country’s long experience — over several centuries — with emigration. Indeed, on the newly restored lawn just outside this building, a haunting bronze sculpture by acclaimed Irish sculptor John Behan, entitled Arrival, depicts a huddled group of Irish emigrants ready to disembark in New York after fleeing starvation and poverty in their native Ireland.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Realizing the United Nations core values in every Member State will mean a fairer, more prosperous and sustainable world for this generation and all those who come after. I wish to conclude with the words of the late Irish poet Seamus Heaney, “I have begun to think of life as a series of ripples widening out from an original centre”. In 2015, a very special anniversary year for us all, it is time to reflect on our own original centre — the United Nations Charter — and for all 193 Member States to recommit ourselves to delivering on its great promise: a peaceful, just and prosperous world.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I hope that Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon may be succeeded by a brilliant female Secretary-General in due course, because that would send a powerful message to women and men throughout the world that here, in the United Nations, we are willing to remove the barriers that prevent women from fulfilling their true potential. We strongly endorse the code of conduct on Security Council action on mass atrocity crimes, developed by Liechtenstein and the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, and we support the declaration by France and Mexico on regulating the use of the veto. Ireland is ready for membership in 2021 of a much reformed and more representative Security Council, one that is better equipped to respond to twenty-first -century threats to international peace and security.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Similarly, Ireland has had its own historic experience of religious repression; therefore, religious freedom is a matter of great importance to my country. Turning to the 2000s, I wish to emphasize Ireland’s grave concern for vulnerable women and girls in many parts of the world and our strong commitment to gender equality. In the year 2000, just before our last membership of the Security Council, Ireland co-sponsored resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, reflecting our strong national commitment to this agenda.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In short, vulnerable minorities are under increasing attack from repressive State regimes and from transnational terrorist networks including ISIL, Al-Qaida, Boko Haram and others. The United Nations, as a champion of equality, plurality and diversity, has an important role to play in defending and protecting vulnerable groups. We fully support the Organization in this essential task. This year Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize marriage equality by a popular vote. This has been a hugely positive experience for Ireland, and we urge other States to follow suit and to promote rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender 52/55 15-29658 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.22 and intersex citizens.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“At the Human Rights Council, Ireland has sought to give concrete expression to the long-held convictions that have informed our positions within the United Nations. We have championed resolutions to promote and protect civil society space, which we recognize as essential to make other rights attainable. We advocate for the critical role of human rights defenders. We have led initiatives to prevent the morbidity and mortality of children under 5. In Ireland, there is widespread concern about violent repression and terrorist attacks on religious minorities. We have seen an alarming rise in attacks on Christians, Baha’i, Jews and Muslims. Elsewhere people are oppressed and punished because of their gender, race or sexual orientation.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In our pursuit of peace on the island of Ireland, we were, and continue to be, supported by steadfast partners who stayed the course with us through many difficult years, keeping faith where others saw hopelessness. In our wide-ranging work on conflict prevention, mediation and State-building, we seek to share our experience. We hope to bring this to the table when we seek election to the Security Council again in 2020. I turn to the 1990s. Historically, Ireland has supported the promotion and protection of human rights, from our early support for decolonization to our opposition to apartheid in South Africa and through to our election to the Human Rights Council for the term 2013 to 2015. In 1997, our former President, Mary Robinson, was appointed the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In Syria, over 200,000 people have lost their lives and over 11 million people have been displaced. The Al-Assad regime continues to flout international law, while the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) inflicts gratuitous cruelty and suffering on the people of Syria and northern Iraq. Its casual barbarism is a threat to every value the United Nations holds dear, and therefore the United Nations has a duty to act. Elsewhere in the region, Ireland remains concerned at the continued stalemate in the Middle East peace process. We are strong advocates of the two-State solution as the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In the 1980s, Ireland completed its first full term on the Security Council, motivated by its commitment to multilateralism and a rules-based international system. These values are under grave threat today. Russia’s unlawful annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine have had profound implications for the people of Ukraine and for the international system itself. Ireland calls on all sides to respect and fully implement the Minsk agreements and to cooperate with the peacebuilding efforts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in the region. During our first term on the Security Council in 1981 and 1982, the Middle East was, as ever, prominent on the international agenda. Today, challenges in the region are even greater.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I urge States to work with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Migration — an Irishman, Peter Sutherland, who is dedicating himself to assisting in the resolution of this global catastrophe. Ireland supports the humanitarian effort by providing crucial funding and other resources. We have deployed search-and-rescue ships to the Mediterranean. We are providing for the resettlement of over 4,000 refugees. Ireland welcomes the Secretary-General’s setting up of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing to address the growing gap between humanitarian needs and resources. We will participate fully in that and other processes leading to next year’s World Humanitarian Summit.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In Europe, we have clearly seen the tragic consequences for those who, driven by desperation, are taking inconceivable risks to find a safe haven for their families. Addressing the migration 15-29658 51/55 A/70/PV.22 01/10/2015 crisis is a huge challenge for Europe and one that we are working hard to resolve. People are fleeing their home countries for a multiplicity of reasons. They are arriving in Europe from a multiplicity of routes. They undertake perilous journeys, often exploited by ruthless criminals along the way. This is a disaster that requires the close collaboration of the international community. The United Nations is undertaking vital work in seeking to address the root causes of mass migration and to provide humanitarian assistance to those who have been driven from their homes by the ravages of war.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I am proud that Ireland was able to make its contribution through the co-facilitator role played by Ambassador David Donoghue and his team in the negotiations which, working with Kenya, brought about this landmark agreement. Moving to successful implementation of this huge global agenda will be the next great challenge. We do not underestimate the challenges for all countries in implementing a universal agenda that is as broad and diverse as the new SDGs, but we cannot underestimate the huge achievement and benefits for humankind if it is successfully implemented. Our development gains are threatened by the unprecedented scale of humanitarian crises facing our world. The total number of refugees and internally displaced people worldwide has now surpassed 50 million people.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Last week at Headquarters, world leaders adopted the new Sustainable Development Goals for the period up to 2030. We have committed ourselves to an ambitious programme and transformational agenda to end extreme poverty, to preserve the planet for this and future generations and to create conditions for balanced economic growth throughout the world. Reaching agreement on these Goals is one of the most important achievements of the United Nations in recent years. It was an enormous challenge, and we, the 193 Member States, rose to it. That was multilateral diplomacy at its best. The United Nations has demonstrated its continuing relevance and, indeed, indispensability.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Ireland was one of the first States to ratify the Treaty, and we have offered financial support to enable wider participation in negotiations and more effective implementation. The onus is now on all States parties to maintain the immense and sustained effort we put into negotiating the Treaty. We must ensure that we live up to its great promise, with the ultimate goal of enhancing peace and security and thereby saving lives. Now to the 1970s. In 1974, having acceded to the European Union the previous year, Ireland established its programme of overseas development cooperation, Irish Aid. Since then Ireland has provided over $13 billion in support of the world’s most impoverished people and has championed the aid agenda within the European Union, which is the world’s largest provider of development assistance.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The SDG negotiation process underscored the very positive role that civic society groups and people around the world can play. Ireland would like to see that positivity, inclusivity and urgency in the nuclear disarmament debate. We see the daily consequences of illegal and irresponsible flows of arms and conventional weapons in the appalling scenes of chaos and brutality into which parts of our world have descended. The scenes in our newspapers and on our television and computer screens are truly horrific. People wonder what can be done to stem this industrial-scale violence. Part of the solution is the Arms Trade Treaty, one of the international community’s most significant achievements in recent years.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Indeed, significant progress has been made on non-proliferation. We warmly welcome the agreement reached with Iran and look forward to its implementation. More broadly, we hope that this will also mark the opening of a new and constructive chapter in Iran’s engagement in the international system. Conversely, the outcome of the 2015 NPT Review Conference in May was deeply disappointing. States with nuclear arsenals have special responsibilities, and Ireland will continue to press them to deliver on their commitments under the NPT. Today there are at least 17,000 nuclear weapons posing a threat to our very survival. We cannot accept that status quo. Ireland wants real momentum injected into the nuclear disarmament pillar of the NPT.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I therefore welcome the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations and its comprehensive analysis of the challenges ahead and the changes required (A/70/95). In particular, our own experience of conflict in Ireland has taught us that full and equal participation by women in decisions around peace and security are vital to building a sustainable peace. I now turn to the 1960s. From our earliest days at the United Nations, Ireland has been passionately committed to disarmament and non-proliferation. As the first State to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968, following several years work as initiator of the General Assembly resolutions that led to its agreement, we have a deep and abiding commitment to the full implementation of the Treaty.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Those serving under the United Nations flag have a fundamental responsibility to behave in an honourable way and to be a force for good in this world. Ireland demands decisive action in confronting any criminal behaviour by United Nations troops. This is vital to protect the good name of the United Nations and its peacekeepers, the overwhelming majority of whom are principled people. We want appropriate training, clear accountability and strict sanctions. I welcome the Secretary-General’s commitment to making the United Nations firm zero-tolerance policy into an effective zero-crime reality. 50/55 15-29658 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.22 United Nations peacekeeping and Ireland’s contribution have adapted in scale and complexity to challenges over the past six decades. Continuing flexibility and innovation are essential.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“There are currently 370 committed and courageous Irish peacekeeping troops serving in seven United Nations missions; 87 Irish peacekeepers have tragically lost their lives in the active service of the United Nations. Ireland feels a strong sense of responsibility to protect the reputation and honour of United Nations peacekeepers. We owe this to our peacekeeping troops, past, present and future. And so, like Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon, we received reports of sexual abuse involving some United Nations peacekeepers with shock and outrage. United Nations peacekeeping missions must never be associated with exploitation because of the actions of a few. Ireland will always speak out to defend the vulnerable. We will not be silent about the plight of women and children harmed by the very people responsible for their protection.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“They include peacekeeping, non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament, development aid, promoting peace and security while we were on the Security Council, and advancing gender equality. I will touch upon these policies and outline their continuing relevance for Ireland today. In the 1950s, when Ireland joined the United Nations, our then Prime Minister, John A. Costello, identified our goal as playing “our part to secure what small nations have always required, the maintenance of peace”. We are extremely proud that the loyal service of Irish peacekeepers has been central to our negotiations with the United Nations since 1958. On 12 occasions our soldiers have led United Nations missions.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“On the contrary, in this anniversary year, we must critically appraise our failures, as the international community, to prevent war, genocide, forced displacement and deprivation. Today we face unprecedented challenges in confronting the savage violence of well-resourced non-State actors, as well as of some States, with consequential humanitarian catastrophes unfolding in many parts of the world. Strong and assertive leadership by the United Nations has never been as critical. I know the United Nations and its Members can live up to this great challenge. In our 60 years at the United Nations, Ireland has pursued a series of policy priorities that continue to be central to our foreign policy.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It is a great honour for me to address the General Assembly this afternoon on behalf of Ireland on the sixtieth anniversary of my country’s joining the United Nations and the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations itself. At the intersection of these two special anniversaries, it has been a great privilege for Ireland to have co-facilitated the final negotiations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the implementation of which is critical for the future of our planet and its people. The SDGs are a tangible manifestation of the capacity of the United Nations to deliver positive outcomes in the most challenging circumstances, but we cannot be complacent.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“On a more positive note, as a former Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in Ireland, I felt particularly honoured last week to ratify the third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, reaffirming the commitment of my Government to the protection and promotion of the rights of children in Ireland. In conclusion, I believe that at its most effective this great Organization, the United Nations, is a force for good in the world and has much untapped potential. The undoubted achievements in areas, such as peacekeeping, conflict resolution, development and humanitarian action, to which Ireland is proud to contribute, should renew our faith in our collective ability and inspire us to meet the challenges that confront us now and many of those that will lie ahead in the future.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Last week, the Council adopted by consensus the significant resolution 2178 (2014), led by Ireland, calling on States to create and maintain a safe and enabling environment in which civil society can operate. We strongly condemn all forms of persecution and discrimination based on religion or belief. The persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East, and the recent rise of anti-Semitic attacks, particularly in a number of European countries, are causes of grave concern for me. Too often throughout history, the world has looked the other way when vulnerable minorities were being targeted, often as a prelude to a more serious conflict.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Recent events worldwide have demonstrated that human rights and fundamental freedoms continue to be violated and threatened, particularly in times of conflict. In many parts of the world today, brave women and men seek to highlight and address abuses of human rights, and to stand up for those who are oppressed or without a voice. I salute the courage of those human rights defenders and pledge that we in Ireland will continue to work for decisive action, whether in the United Nations or the European Union, in order to support them. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Ireland has sought to highlight the important contribution of civil society to advancing human rights and building democratic societies.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Last week we joined the Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture. On Thursday, I co-hosted a meeting here at the United Nations in support of the Secretary-General’s Zero Hunger Challenge. And days earlier, in Dublin, UNICEF Ireland brought to me the voices of Ireland’s young people, calling on us to strengthen our efforts and reminding me, in their words, that “It’s about us”. Ireland’s commitment to a more equal, inclusive and sustainable future for the world’s children is demonstrated in practice through our development programme and our work with our partners in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the extremely difficult economic circumstances of recent years, we are proud that we have stabilized funding for our aid programme. The fight to end poverty and hunger will remain a central tenet of our foreign policy.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“That framework must mark an important shift to sustainable development, with clear and ambitious targets that can help to end extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition in a single generation. Ireland continues to play its part at the United Nations and with our partners on the ground. We have focused sharply on the continuing scandals of hunger, child stunting and maternal mortality in a world of plenty. I am pleased that last week the Human Rights Council adopted a draft resolution, led by Ireland, on the preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5. It is indeed deplorable that some 6.6 million children under the age of 5 die annually, mainly from preventable and treatable causes. Ireland is working with its partners in Africa on the devastating impact of climate change, especially on smallholder agriculture.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is just part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring that women and girls can reach their full potential, live a life free from fear and fully take their place at the decision-making table. The global threat posed by the spread of Ebola in West Africa is a reminder that not all the challenges we face are man-made. Ireland is active in addressing this epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Security Council resolution 2177 (2014), sponsored by 130 Member States, indicates the seriousness with which the world regards the problem and the need for urgent action on the part of the United Nations. Next year, 2015, will be a critical one in the fight to end extreme poverty and hunger. We have 15 months to maximize progress under the Millennium Development Goals and a mere 12 in which to negotiate a new framework for international development.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) was a milestone in recognizing that reality, and subsequent resolutions, most recently resolution 2122 (2013), demonstrate our resolve to pursue the goal of women’s full and empowered participation in the political process. The current agenda of the United Nations includes a welcome and necessary increase in the focus on tackling the scourge of sexual violence in armed conflict. But we must translate our global commitment into concrete action. Achieving real gender equality requires a commitment from all of us here, men and women. It is a commitment that Ireland is proud to have made, and next January we launch our second national action plan on women, peace and security.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Last week, at the high-level meeting on peacekeeping hosted by the Secretary-General and Vice-President Biden of the United States, I was pleased to announce an initiative by my Government to deliver a new programme for training African peacekeepers that will include a specific focus on areas such as the protection of civilians, gender sensitivity, human rights, leadership training and logistics. The full and equal participation of women is another essential component in building peaceful, stable societies. Women are key agents of change and must be full protagonists in our ongoing global story. Political will is a crucial element in driving women’s empowerment and gender equality going forward.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)