YouSaid · the spoken record

Byrne Nason

lines on the record: 1,154
first: 2018-04-16
most recent: 2022-07-29
sittings or episodes: 170
sources: un-security-council

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

“The flouting of international law, with the expansion of illegal settlements into occupied Palestinian territory, must stop. Evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and elsewhere in the West Bank must stop. The demolition of Palestinian property, settler violence, intimidation and incitement must stop. We must acknowledge that these actions, occurring at an unacceptable rate for many years, are a source of legitimate grievance among the Palestinian people and undermine prospects for peace and reconciliation. The Council must require of Israelis and Palestinians that they live up to their commitments and comply with international law. Fundamental rights, in particular those of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, must be vindicated and respected equally.”
2021-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8782 (2021) · source
“These terrible events underscore the simple fact that the Palestinian question cannot be ignored or put on the back burner. Ireland echoes the Secretary-General’s call on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to move beyond the restoration of calm and to promote serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict. We believe that it is critical that women be part of this process, and Ireland was pleased to facilitate a briefing just yesterday by women civil society leaders in Palestine to members of the Council. As our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, said last week (see S/2021/480), we must ask ourselves how we move past the recurring cycles of violence between Palestinians and Israelis. Terrorist attacks must stop. These attacks cannot and should not be justified.”
2021-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8782 (2021) · source
“We call on Hamas to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip. Ireland supports an integrated approach to reconstruction. We renew our call on Israel to end the blockade of Gaza. The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Reconstruction efforts must take that into account. Israeli and Palestinian authorities must launch investigations, in line with international standards, into alleged violations of international humanitarian law during the conduct of hostilities. All parties, including Israel, Hamas and other militant groups, have a responsibility to respect international humanitarian law. The recent crisis has taken a devastating toll, especially on Palestinians. Many innocent Palestinians and Israelis have needlessly lost their lives, and many more have seen their lives torn apart.”
2021-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8782 (2021) · source
“Ireland has announced additional funding for both the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and UNICEF in Gaza, and we urge all donors to increase their support at this critical moment, including through the inter-agency flash appeal launched today. Ireland is very concerned that UNRWA buildings, among them hospitals and schools, were damaged during military operations in Gaza. The Agency plays a vital humanitarian role in Gaza and must be protected. Through Commissioner-General Lazzarini, I pay tribute to the dedicated staff of UNRWA and other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations that provided critical services and support throughout the crisis and continue to do so now. We call on Israel, as the occupying Power, to facilitate unimpeded access for humanitarian relief.”
2021-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8782 (2021) · source
“Our inability as a Council to utter a single agreed word as the conflict raged for 11 days marks a sobering failure of our collective diplomacy. As Professor Khalidi noted, recent events and the weakness of our response put into perspective the scale of the challenge in charting a political path towards sustainable peace in the Middle East. The Council must shoulder its responsibility. We must support the parties to meet that challenge and to help to end the cycle of violence and bloodshed. In the immediate aftermath of the conflict, meeting humanitarian need is essential, in particular for the stricken population in the Gaza Strip.”
2021-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8782 (2021) · source
“I want to thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for the briefing this morning and express special thanks, too, to Commissioner- General Lazzarini and Professor Khalidi for their truly valuable insights this morning. Ireland welcomes the ceasefire agreed last weekend following 11 days of violent conflict. The job now is for all parties to respect and maintain the ceasefire to avoid the risk of further bloodshed. All of those with influence on the parties must continue to use that leverage to ensure that the ceasefire is maintained and built upon. Israeli and Palestinian leaders must work to reduce rhetoric and to reduce tension. We welcome the fact that the Security Council was finally able to adopt a press statement (SC/14527) after the ceasefire was agreed. We have no cause, however, for self-congratulation.”
2021-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8782 (2021) · source
“We look forward to receiving the African Union’s independent assessment and to the joint United Nations-AU report in September.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“Before concluding, let me say a word about the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In the context of the security challenges that we have heard about today, the role and the future of the Mission remain vitally important. Through AMISOM, the African Union has made significant gains in laying the path for stabilization in Somalia. We welcome the revision of the Somali transition plan, and we call for it to be fully endorsed and, importantly, for its implementation to be accelerated. It is clear that the continuation of a post-2021 AU mission in Somalia will be needed. As a member of the European Union, which has proudly contributed to AMISOM and Somali security over decades, our view is that the post-2021 mission must be in line with the needs on the ground and supportive of Somalia’s security transition.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“The distraction of the political impasse has also exacerbated the effects of the grave humanitarian crisis in Somalia. As the coronavirus disease pandemic rages, we hear that the country is facing critical water shortages, alongside flash flooding and other climate-related impacts. The reports of conflict- related sexual violence recently outlined by the Special Representative Patten are horrifying and alarming. We call on the Federal Government to take steps to protect women and girls from all forms of sexual and gender- based violence by enacting the original 2018 Sexual Offences Bill and by holding perpetrators of sexual violence accountable. I also want to say that it is deplorable that children continue to be killed, abducted and recruited with impunity. I call on all parties to prevent and end all grave violations against children.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“We call on Somalia’s leaders to reconsider that approach and constructively engage with the AU to find a way forward. The recent political impasse has contributed to a deteriorating security situation — we have heard that today — which includes the diversion of military resources away from operations against Al-Shabaab, increased clan violence and the splitting of the Somali National Army along clan lines. At the same time, the threat of Al-Shabaab in the region remains serious. In reality, Al-Shabaab is the only one to have gained from this electoral impasse. Its attacks on civilians, Government officials and security forces are reprehensible. The Federal Government must refocus and step up its efforts to protect civilians.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“Any solution — we have said it before, and we say it again now — must ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at every stage of that process. As we have done before, we urge Foreign Minister Mohamud to ensure that the 30 per cent minimum quota for women’s participation be respected. Crucially, there must also be full and unambiguous rejection of violence. The use of armed actors to manipulate the electoral process simply cannot be accepted. Those who resort to the use of violence for political gain must be held accountable. The African Union (AU) plays an important role in ensuring peace and security in Somalia. We heard that this morning from the representative of the AU. we are therefore deeply disappointed that Somalia has rejected the offer to deploy an African Union envoy.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“Momentum has been regained and must now be capitalized upon. The next step is simple: Somalia’s leaders must place the country’s interests above their own, and we welcome the good breaking news this morning that the preliminary talks are under way and that we may have some positive news. We welcome the leadership of the Prime Minister in those talks. The talks are a very good start, of course, but there remains an urgent need for compromise and agreement on next steps by all parties. Somalia’s political future still depends on timely and inclusive elections. We urgently now need to see clarity from Somalia on how we achieve this. It is crucial that all parties engage in these talks in good faith and work to find consensus on the electoral process in a timely manner.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“Like others, I would like to thank the President for bringing us back to the Chamber today. In our case, it is our first day in the Chamber since we were elected to the Security Council almost one year ago, so we are delighted to be here. I also wanted to thank our briefers this morning. We were glad that Foreign Minister Mohamud was able to join us today. Since our last meeting, I am encouraged that Somalia has stepped back from the decision to extend the mandates of both the Parliament and the President. I think it is no exaggeration to say that the decision to restore the 17 September agreement was vital for the safety of the Somali people and for the stability of the country. Restoring the 17 September agreement now, we believe, provides a pathway to elections. Squandering this opportunity would be unforgivable.”
2021-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8779 (2021) · source
“That also includes special efforts to ensure the inclusion of women. The participation of, and consultation with, victims in the design, implementation and monitoring of transitional justice policies is absolutely key. Only then can a society begin to make the transformational journey that reconciliation demands, and sustained peace requires.”
2020-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8723Resumption1 (2020) · source
“We support the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund’s increased focus on transitional justice, including, most recently, helping to develop a comprehensive national strategy for transitional justice in the Gambia. It is often stated that all wars are fought twice: the first time on the battlefield and the second time in memory. In our support for transitional justice, we must never forget our overall aim, that is, to build and sustain peace and reconciliation. As an aspiring member of the Council for the term 2021 to 2022, my country, Ireland, believes that transitional justice must be aspirational: first, in seeking to maximize peace and justice and, secondly, in being practical by incorporating the local context and focusing on what is required by communities emerging from violence.”
2020-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8723Resumption1 (2020) · source
“It will also bolster other ongoing peacebuilding efforts, and it will enable politics, policing and the wider society in Northern Ireland to move on from the past and fully harness the benefits of peace. As this debate demonstrates today, transitional justice is complex and part of a much wider tapestry of actions necessary to sustain peace. Ireland has been, and will continue to be, eager to learn from others on similar journeys and to share our own experience. We are proud of our continued support to the transitional justice processes in Colombia, Sierra Leone, Syria and elsewhere. Ireland welcomes recent progress within United Nations missions to recognize and incorporate elements of transitional justice in their work.”
2020-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8723Resumption1 (2020) · source
“For that reason, in the context of the recent agreement reached in January on power-sharing in Northern Ireland, both the Irish and United Kingdom Governments have affirmed their commitment to moving ahead to establish a framework of legacy institutions. That comprehensive framework is founded on principles that include promoting reconciliation, upholding the rule of law, acknowledging and addressing the suffering of victims and survivors, facilitating the pursuit of justice and information recovery and complying with human rights requirements. An implementation and reconciliation group will also be established. We recognize that this comprehensive framework is vital to provide justice and truth for victims and survivors.”
2020-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8723Resumption1 (2020) · source
“One successful example was the establishment of the Remembrance Commission, which worked from 2003 to 2008 to administer a scheme of assistance and remembrance for victims and their families. The Commission made funding available to individual victims and survivors in acknowledgement of their suffering and economic hardship. While much progress has been made on our island, more remains to be done. In addressing the legacy of the conflict, as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, we recognize that, in order to definitively deal with the past and to deepen reconciliation, we must continue to work every day.”
2020-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8723Resumption1 (2020) · source
“I thank today’s briefers. I would also like to congratulate Belgium, a fellow European Union member, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council. We are very proud to see you, Madam President, in that role. Ireland very strongly supports the Security Council’s recognition of the importance of transitional justice in efforts to sustain peace. That is an issue close to our hearts because we have lived it. Our understanding of transitional justice is shaped most profoundly by our own peace process, founded on the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought to an end some 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland and in which the work of protecting the peace and furthering reconciliation continues to this day. We have approached that in many ways, politically and economically.”
2020-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8723Resumption1 (2020) · source
“As I conclude, I also wanted to say that, on Libya, Ireland welcomes the outcome of the recent Berlin conference and calls on all parties to rapidly agree to a ceasefire and move forward towards a much-needed political solution.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“Ireland strongly condemns all violations of international law in Syria. Those responsible for such violations must be held accountable, and we reiterate our call for the situation to be referred to the International Criminal Court. We also reiterate our support for the Commission of Inquiry and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. We welcome the recent decision of the General Assembly to provide funding for the Mechanism from the United Nations regular budget.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“Long though this conflict has endured, we believe that we, the international community, have a responsibility to continue to hope and work for a solution. The Security Council has a particularly important role and we, as an aspiring member, will work to help ensure that it meets its responsibilities. Before concluding, I would briefly turn to the situation in Syria. We remain deeply concerned about the plight of the Syrian people, particularly in the north- east and north-west of the country. In the north-west, the Government offensive has led to a large number of civilian casualties and new displacement. We welcome the decision of the Security Council to extend the authorization for cross-border humanitarian assistance, but are deeply disappointed that authorization was not extended for all border crossings.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“He firmly conveyed Ireland’s concerns about the impact of the occupation, including settlements and the blockade of Gaza, and met with communities both in Gaza and in Israel that are affected by the continuing violence. Minister Coveney reiterated Ireland’s strong support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. He welcomed progress towards new Palestinian elections, which deserve international support. Those elections will constitute an important step towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation, giving a voice to Palestinians throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza. Minister Coveney’s regular visits to the region reflect the high priority that the Irish people continue to give to the Middle East peace process.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“We must not forget the deadly toll that this conflict continues to take. The past three years have seen the loss of hundreds of civilian lives, thousands of injuries to civilians and major damage to civilian objects, including due to airstrikes and to the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel. In Gaza, a shockingly high proportion of casualties have been children. Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, again visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory in December. In his meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, he reiterated Ireland’s readiness to support efforts towards a two-State solution.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“The acceleration of settlement activity, the continued occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the maintenance of the Gaza blockade, as well as the constant threat of violence, extremism, terrorism and incitement, are eroding the very viability of the two-State solution and the prospects for peace. In December, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, informed the Security Council that over 22,000 settlement units had been advanced or approved in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the past three years (see S/PV.8690). We are deeply concerned by that acceleration in settlement activity and by recent statements on the annexation of the Jordan Valley. Annexation would constitute a very serious violation of international law.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“We know that such an outcome will greatly benefit both the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples and contribute significantly to stability in the wider region. This accords with the European Union’s firm position, as set out on numerous occasions, and with General Assembly resolution 73/89 of 6 December 2018, on a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, which my country, Ireland, was proud to introduce and which was overwhelmingly endorsed by a majority of Member States. Today’s debate comes at a critical time. Three years have passed since the adoption of resolution 2334 (2016), but we have seen no progress, and the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“I thank the President for convening today’s debate on this important topic. I also thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Assistant Secretary-General Mueller for their briefings (see S/PV.8706). Ireland aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of Portugal on behalf of 27 European Union member States. Ireland, my country, remains committed to a negotiated two-State solution that ends the occupation that began in 1967, ending all claims and fulfilling the aspirations of both parties, including Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations to statehood and sovereignty, on the basis of international law, internationally agreed parameters and relevant Security Council resolutions.”
2020-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8706Resumption1 (2020) · source
“We believe that this can be done through strengthened United Nations country teams, engagement with the Peacebuilding Commission and support for the Peacebuilding Fund. Our view is that the Security Council, too, can and, frankly, must do more. As the resolutions on sustaining peace pointed out, investment in peace requires a cross-pillar approach, for which reconciliation is a fundamental critical element. Putting resources behind that work is a necessary and worthwhile investment, and we urge the Council to play its role. As an aspiring member of this body, we look forward to having our opportunity to step up to the plate and play our part in that endeavour in 2021-2022.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668Resumption1 (2019) · source
“We believe that the United Nations should work to capture and share those experiences across contexts and across continents. Ireland supports principled, locally-sensitive approaches to accountability and reconciliation, which work to maximize peace and justice and guarantee victims' rights and incorporate what we like to call a critical analysis of the context in which conflict occurred. Too often reconciliation is left as the last issue once the immediate violence has stopped and when the attention of the international community has already turned elsewhere. In particular, we see transitions from United Nations peacekeeping operations as an important moment to systematically ensure that we have a focus on supporting continued reconciliation efforts there and at all levels.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668Resumption1 (2019) · source
“That organization continues its essential work as part of our peacebuilding framework to this day. It has benefited from support from international partners including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and, importantly, the European Union. As with achieving peace agreements, the deeper subsequent task of reconciliation can be significantly assisted through the support, perspective and cross-learning of committed international partners. While progress has been made on so many fronts in our own peace process in Ireland, challenges and obstacles remain. While no two conflict situations are the same, it is useful to share experiences ofreconciliation, from local processes and dialogue to national truth commissions.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668Resumption1 (2019) · source
“Their brave efforts in their own communities to build shared understanding has been key to building trust on the ongoing road we follow to reconciliation. It is precisely because we know the value of local community efforts to build reconciliation that the Irish Government established the Reconciliation Fund in 1982. Last year the Fund supported 153 non-governmental organizations, community groups and voluntary organizations, specifically to promote reconciliation and to create a better understanding between the people and traditions on the island of Ireland, and between Ireland and Britain. The International Fund for Ireland was established in 1986 jointly by the United Kingdom and Irish Governments as an independent body to encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation across the island of Ireland.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668Resumption1 (2019) · source
“The Irish and United Kingdom Governments work in partnership within the framework of that agreement, which commits all parties to "the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust, and to the protection and vindication of the human rights of all". True reconciliation is surely at the heart of all successful peace processes. There can be little doubt that reconciliation in itself is not an easy process. We in Ireland have also learned that to be successful, it must be inclusive. One ofthe key women involved in building peace in Northern Ireland, Avila Kilmurray, spoke recently of the importance of the work of local women's community groups, groups such as the Foyle Women's Information Network and the Training for Women Network in Northern Ireland.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668Resumption1 (2019) · source
“Reconciliation is surely a critical issue for the Security Council. As we have said before in this Chamber, peace is a process, not an event. Silencing the guns is fundamental but does not of itself bring societies together. Almost always, there follows a long process of acknowledging past wrongs, rebuilding trust and preparing for a shared future. Ireland's understanding of reconciliation is shaped most profoundly by our own peace process, founded on the 1998 Good Friday agreement, which brought to an end some 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland, and where the work of protecting the peace and furthering reconciliation continues today.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668Resumption1 (2019) · source
“As an aspiring member of the Security Council, Ireland is committed to standing up, raising our voice and finding the resources to move beyond rhetoric and towards reality. There is a short three-word sentence in the Secretary-General's report that really should guide us for the next 12 months, which is that implementation remains critical - or as Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka of UN-Women likes to say, "do, do, do".”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“We take the same approach in our work on disarmament and humanitarian action, in which we View the equal participation of women as fundamental. The Secretary-General today rightly raised the issue of funding. As the Council is aware, today's debate is one of the most oversubscribed every year. We are all eager to talk, but what if we were as eager to invest in women? It is essential that States Members of the United Nations continue to increase their support for gender equality and women's organizations. Earlier this year, Ireland completed its two years as Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, so we know only too well the challenges, complexity and urgency of this debate.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“The elements introduced by women to the Good Friday Agreement have been critical to sustaining peace over the two decades that followed because they went to the root causes of the conflict and helped to imagine a positive vision of a Northern Ireland of the future. With over 60 years of continuing and unbroken peacekeeping experience, Ireland knows well how critical it is to integrate a gender perspective in order to empower women in peacekeeping. Ireland is a gender champion within the Secretary-General's Action for Peacekeeping initiative, and we support the Secretary-General's targets. We are particularly proud that today the highest-ranking female United Nations peacekeeper is an Irish woman - Brigadier General Maureen O'Brien, Acting Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“Gender equality is at the heart of my country's foreign and development cooperation policy. We launched our third national action plan on women and peace and security earlier this year. We match our overseas engagement with domestic action, which is focused on migrant women affected by conflict living in Ireland and those affected by conflict in Northern Ireland. Ireland believes in women's meaningful participation in peacebuilding because we have lived it. It is more than 20 years since the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition participated in the Good Friday Agreement. Yet still today that Agreement is one of the few global examples in which women have directly participated in a peace process.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“We have seen the evidence that peace is more durable when women have participated in its negotiation. Which part of that reality do we not yet understand? Put simply, women and peace and security ought to be part of all of our peacebuilding work, which, in this Chamber entails every mandate renewal, every geographic and thematic discussion, every local consultation and every piece of analysis completed in the field. We simply cannot afford for this issue to be confined to one open debate in October of every year. That formula clearly has not worked so far. Ireland sees the sustaining peace agenda and the women and peace and security agenda not as separate but as one and the same process. Through the peacebuilding architecture review next year, we will work to ensure the full recognition of that synergy.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“In my View, that should be a moment for a clear-eyed assessment of what has been achieved rather than a cause for celebration. Ireland welcomes the Secretary- General's sobering report (S/2019/800) outlining the increasing attacks against women human rights defenders and peacebuilders and the unacceptable continued exclusion of women from peace and political processes. I know that I am not alone in the Chamber in feeling a growing sense of frustration at the slow pace of change. Frankly, I also feel shame at the growing number of threats to the progress already made. The fact is that those who wage wars - who are not, in the main, women - continue to set the parameters for peace without women. Quite apart from the inequality that that serves to reinforce, let us be clear, it is also a fundamentally ineffective way to build peace.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“I would like to thank South Africa for convening this debate and for shepherding the tenth resolution on women and peace and security (resolution 2493 (2019)) safely across the line. Ireland co-sponsored the resolution. Of course, we all hoped for more. It may not be perfect - little of the women and peace and security reality is optimal. We support you, Madam President, so that we can build a better future together. Ireland aligns itself with the statements to be made on behalf of the European Union and on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women and Peace and Security, respectively. As an active member of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), we sincerely hope to see the Chair of the PBC brief the Council on this topic in the future. Many speakers have today referred to the upcoming twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000).”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“The Security Council, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the United Nations system as a whole possess a wide variety of tools to combat these threats. Our job is to ensure that we put them to use. My country, Ireland, reiterates our unwavering commitment to engaging actively with partners here at the United Nations, and hopefully with the support of this Chamber as a Security Council member in the future, we will work actively to address the threats. We believe that we owe at least that to the countless victims.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“We also greatly value the work of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and Europol and the support that they offer in facilitating information-sharing among EU member States. Fourthly and finally, we strongly believe that counter-terrorism measures, especially cross-border information-sharing, should never undermine our obligations under international law, including human rights law and international humanitarian law. Civil society plays a crucial role, and we encourage further efforts to strengthen that partnership. Put simply, building and maintaining trust between public, private and non-governmental organizations is the bedrock upon which we must take this fight forward.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“We believe that we ought to make a concerted effort to increase the visibility and effectiveness of United Nations activities on counter- terrorism. As a candidate for a seat on the Security Council for the term 2021-2022, we believe two things - first, that this is indeed a threat to our collective peace and security; and secondly, that the Council not only can but must play a role in understanding and combating the links between terrorism and organized crime. As an active member of the European Union (EU), we want to acknowledge the important work undertaken by the European Union Judicial Cooperation Unit in improvingjudicial cooperation in countering organized crime and terrorism.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“Secondly, we know that organized crime groups and terrorist organizations are increasingly recruiting from the same pool of largely marginalized and often vulnerable people. Prisons are particularly fertile grounds for recruiting. Petty criminals and members of organized criminal groups are often radicalized. We believe that police training and the meaningful involvement of women and youth are crucial in combating that. Thirdly, multilateral engagement and collaboration are a sine qua non for effectively countering those threats. My country, Ireland, sees a central role for the United Nations in leading the coordinated and inclusive response of Member States, guided by the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“First, it seems like a truism but it is a fact that fuelling both terrorism and organized crime are the complex and evolving global systems of money-laundering and terrorist financing. We believe that we have no hope of addressing that issue individually or in silos. A coordinated approach is key to effectively tackling it. Ireland's own response brings together a range of Government departments and agencies, including the Central Bank of Ireland, the Irish police, our Criminal Assets Bureau and Irish Revenue Commissioners. But we know we need more. The Security Council must play its own part. We were pleased to co-sponsor the French-led resolution 2462 (2019), setting out a comprehensive approach to combating the financing of terrorism. As ever, the challenge now is to move from rhetoric to implementation.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“I would like to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for having organized this important debate and for your continued leadership in strengthening our understanding of the linkages between international terrorism and organized crime, both of which, as we have just heard, have grown substantially in scale and threat over the past 20 years. I am here because my country, Ireland, believes that debates such as this matter and can make a difference. A vitally important step in countering the twin threats that I have spoken of is to better understand the nature and scope ofthe links that exist between them. We must do more to deepen our understanding together here at the United Nations, in our Governments and across civil society. I would like to draw from your useful concept note (S/2019/537, annex), Sir, and make four brief points.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“In the long term, the best way to protect civilians is of course to address the root causes of conflicts, promote human rights and build sustainable peace. That is the ideal. But until then, the Security Council simply must ensure that parties to armed conflict respect rules that apply even in times of war and seek accountability where they are not respected. We must keep people accountable for their violations. We surely owe that to the countless innocent victims of conflict.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“Concretely, in the past six months, Ireland has provided two training sessions on the protection of civilians, bringing together troops from more than a dozen countries. Like your country, Mr. President, Ireland is a peacekeeper nation. As a country with more than 60 years of continuous participation in peacekeeping, we are aware of our responsibility and willing to play our part. We hope to continue to do so if we are elected to sit at this table for the term from 2021 to 2022. In conclusion, protecting civilians is a complex task, requiring collaboration across the political, development, humanitarian and civil-society spheres. It demands the involvement of women and men, young and old, and it demands collaboration at the local, national and global levels.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“We support the Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas Talks initiative undertaken by Germany last year, and Austria's decision to host a conference on this important topic in October. Fourthly, with regard to the need to ensure that our peacekeepers are equipped with the necessary skills and capabilities to effectively carry out their mandates, I agree that we have seen great strides in the normative framework for the protection of civilians, but there is a "but". We consider that challenges remain in its operationalization. Collectively, we have agreed to a range of principles and codes, including the Kigali Principles, but to be very frank, they are meaningless if they are not implemented or delivered on the ground. Mandates must match the realities of conflict on the ground, while training and resources must in turn match mandates.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“Violations, including attacks by both State and non-State actors on schools, medical facilities and personnel, are utterly unacceptable. The Security Council must step up and step in to play its role in ensuring accountability and referring violations to the International Criminal Court. It must also work to ensure that any referral is accompanied by support for the Court, particularly with respect to the execution of arrest warrants and the critical issue of the provision of adequate financial support. Thirdly, the humanitarian impact of urban conflict and the effects of explosive weapons in populated areas is increasingly worrying and addressing it is increasingly urgent. We welcome the focus of the Secretary-General has put on this in his Agenda for Disarmament, and we are proud to champion Action 14 of the Agenda.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source