Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
94. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will outline her engagements in international fora with a view to seeking reform of the United Nations system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8728/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra119. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the implementation of the UN80 Action Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7912/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 119 together.
The UN Charter and the United Nations, alongside our membership of the EU, lie at the heart of Ireland’s foreign policy and our engagement with the world. 80 years after the courageous and ambitious establishment of the UN, and 70 years after Ireland joined, the UN remains essential to the promotion of human dignity and well-being and to efforts to resolve and prevent conflict.
It is also nevertheless necessary to acknowledge that the United Nations is an organisation in need of reform and reinvigoration if it is to effectively address the grave challenges facing the world today including poverty, climate change, a growing disregard for international law and threats to democracy and human rights.
It is in this context that I very much welcomed the UN80 reform initiative launched by UN Secretary General Guterres in March 2025. The initiative is designed to be a system-wide process to reform the organisation across each of the three pillars of the organisation: Peace and Security, Sustainable Development, and Human Rights. Ireland has stressed that reform cannot come at the cost of UN core values and that each of the three pillars should be protected.
It is essential that the UN’s Members demonstrate the political will necessary to assist the UN Secretary General in this process, to enable the organisation to adapt and improve. With this objective, Ireland, through our Missions in New York, Geneva, and other UN centres, and also in cooperation with our partners in the EU, is actively engaging with the reform process across all three work-streams.
These work-streams are firstly, identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way the UN works, secondly, reviewing the implementation of mandates and thirdly, examining structural changes and programme realignments including potential mergers.
Ireland has called for transparency around the reform process and welcomes the proposal by the UN Secretariat to give monthly briefings on the process to members.
In addition to the work of the UN80 initiative, Ireland strongly believes that reform of the Security Council is long overdue and we have been clear on the need to increase the size of the Security Council to ensure sufficiently wide geographical representation. The under-representation of Africa in particular must be addressed. For Ireland, the priority is to find a model for reform that is fair, commands consensus, and which allows the Council to be more representative.
The severe financial pressures that the UN is under are well-known and it is recognised that this will necessitate cuts to expenditure. However, it is also imperative on all Member States to ensure that they deliver on their commitments to fund the organisation. Ireland pays its contributions on time and in full and we call on all member states to do so too.
Finally, before the end of this year, the next secretary general of the organisation will be selected. Ireland believes the time is long overdue for the UN’s first female secretary general. At this time of challenge and reform, strong leadership has never been more important to prepare the UN to operate effectively and deliver for all the people in the world who depend on it.
