Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2026
68. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to comment on the Irish delegations’ participation at the recent UN Assembly meeting; and her response to the Prime Minister of Israel’s speech. [69361/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI attended the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly last week in New York. Ireland's delegation was led by an Taoiseach and also included my colleague, Neale Richmond, TD, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora.
This year, reflecting many of our EU Presidency priorities, our focus was on support for multilateralism and the international legal order, addressing the conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan, Ireland's long-standing commitment to human rights and accountability, including in the context of our candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the 2027-2029 term, and on highlighting Ireland's support for the Sustainable Development Goals and humanitarian action.
I co-hosted an event with Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafza on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan five years after the Taliban takeover. This event called on the international community to take action to end the systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life and to address the profound human rights and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan. The Taoiseach also highlighted the unacceptable situation in Afghanistan in Ireland's National Statement to the General Assembly.
UN High-Level Week also provided opportunities to demonstrate Ireland's steadfast support for Ukraine. I participated in a high-level meeting on the forced transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia and joined other Foreign Ministers at an event highlighting the global impact of Russia's illegal war of aggression, including disruption of supply chains, higher prices and increased food insecurity.
At the meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, I underlined Ireland’s commitment to working with partners to end the conflict and achieve a lasting peace based on the two-State solution. The Taoiseach represented Ireland at an event co-hosted by Canada, France, and the UK marking the one-year anniversary of the New York Declaration and launched a Save the Children High-Level Dialogue on Palestinian Children in Military Detention with Queen Rania of Jordan.
At an event on strengthening cooperation for a secure and stable maritime domain, I reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to maritime security, the protection of critical undersea infrastructure, safeguarding freedom of navigation and upholding international law.
I attended the annual meeting of the Informal Ministerial Network for the International Criminal Court to demonstrate Ireland’s solidarity with the ICC and the need to safeguard the integrity of the Court.
Minister of State Richmond's programme provided a critical opportunity to advance Ireland’s priorities on education, food security, humanitarian protection and sustainable development.
The Taoiseach also had a strong focus in his programme on Ireland's long-standing support to development cooperation and humanitarian action, including speaking at a High-Level event with UNICEF on children’s nutrition.
Throughout the week, I also held a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts, as did the Taoiseach and Minister of State Richmond.
I was not present in the General Assembly hall during the National Statement of the Prime Minister of Israel. I have on many previous occasions expressed Ireland’s concern about egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and international law and I regret the approach of the current Israeli government.
