IRELAND IN THE WORLD

We want to ensure that Ireland is a constructive member of the international community, prioritising the active promotion of peace
and development through the European Union, the United Nations, international agencies and direct action.
We intend adopting an active foreign policy in the next five years, based on a series of steps forward in key areas.

Making Neutrality Count
Neutrality is central to our vision of Ireland as the bridge between the developed and developing world, the intermediary and
facilitator in peace processes, the first on the ground in a major humanitarian crisis – the model UN State for the 21st century. Our
policy for the next five years is to Make Neutrality Count.

We believe neutrality enhances our standing internationally. Our goal is to use that standing to build peace and deliver development. Our goal is to establish Ireland as the model UN State, a world leader in development assistance, humanitarian rapid response and
conflict resolution.
We will:
Continue Ireland’s strong support for the primacy of the UN in international affairs and of UN reform, and also the
international commitment of greater resources to peacekeeping and tackling the root causes of terrorism, and the creation of
rapidly deployable emergency response units for humanitarian disasters.
Inform the United Nations of Ireland’s desire to stay at the forefront of UN reform efforts, placing our full diplomatic
resources at the use of the UN.
Place Ireland at the heart of UN efforts to respond rapidly to humanitarian and human right crises in the developing world.
Ireland will become the template for other States through the expansion of the Rapid Response Initiative.
Increase the size and capacity of the Rapid Response Corps, the civilian corps of volunteers trained and equipped by the Irish
Government to be on the ground in an area of humanitarian crisis within a short period.
Double the amount of emergency relief supplies held in, and distributed from, our new pre-positioned humanitarian relief
centres at the Curragh, Kildare and Brindisi, Italy.
Increase funding to the regional supply depot for Africa, based in Accra, Ghana.
Increase funding by at least €40 million to the Irish Government Emergency Response Fund and increase funding to the UN
Central Emergency Response Fund.
Work to strengthen the capacity of Irish and international NGOs to respond more quickly to international emergencies.
Development Aid
Over the next five years this Government will further develop Ireland’s Development Aid Programme, which is already amongst the
best in the world. We will:
Increase ODA to 0.7% of GNP by 2012. The annual Budget statement will contain an outline of the target for the coming
year and a report on progress to date.
Call on all political parties to commit to support the target.
Increase the number of Programme Countries to a minimum of ten by 2012.
Spend at least €100 million per annum combating HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in the developing world.
Develop programmes to assist both individuals and institutions to participate in the Aid Programme. This will include the
provision of assistance to public and private sector institutions to form development partnerships with similar institutions in
the developing world.
Following the establishment of an Irish Aid Information & Volunteering Centre in Dublin, we will establish these centres in
Cork and Galway.
Develop Regional Aid Programmes in Southern and Western Africa to address trans-national threats such as disease and
food insecurity.
Ensure funding mechanisms for NGOs are accessible and simplified.
Seek to improve the quality and effectiveness of EU aid.
Act on the findings of the Hunger Task Force.
Support the fight against corruption in developing countries by supporting institutions, NGOs and civil society that promote
good governance and strive to ensure that our development assistance continues to reach the poor. We will also support the
African Peer Review Mechanism.
Provide financial support for events to mark Africa Day, 25 May.
Ensure that the sourcing of Fair Trade goods where possible is part of all Government Departments’ purchasing policy.
Adopt an integrated approach to development across all government departments.
Conflict Resolution
In order to further promote Ireland as a centre for conflict resolution, we will:
Establish an Academic Centre for Conflict Resolution, to provide academic and analytical expertise in this area. The Centre
will be an academic resource for the Government Conflict Resolution Unit and will draw on cross-border expertise. It will
focus on the developing world and liaise with existing conflict resolution and reconciliation groups.
Establish an annual €25 million Stability Fund, overseen by the Conflict Resolution Unit, to fund specific efforts on the area
of conflict resolution and post conflict issues in the developing world.
Establish a system of roving ambassadors to crisis regions.
Fund a number of fourth level scholarships in the conflict resolution area.
Cluster Bombs
This Government will campaign for a complete ban on the use of cluster munitions. In the absence of a full ban we will seek
agreement on an immediate freeze on the use of cluster munitions pending the establishment of effective international instruments to
address humanitarian concerns regarding their use.
Burma
Ireland will not establish diplomatic relations with Burma until Aung San Suu Kyi is released.
Darfur
We will use all avenues, bilaterally, through the EU and through the UN, to focus urgent international attention on the crisis in Darfur
and to seek agreement for a lasting, peaceful solution to the crisis.

Middle East
With the EU and the broader international community, this government, will press for dialogue, reconciliation and negotiations
leading to a two-State solution.
Extraordinary Rendition
The Irish Government is completely opposed to the practice of extraordinary rendition.
1. The Government will prioritise effective enforcement of a) Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention Against Torture) Act,
2000 b) The Geneva Conventions Acts 1962-1998
To that end the Government will encourage and support An Garda Siochana in the investigation and enforcement of these Statutes. It
will do so by making resources available for specialized training in the provisions of those Statutes to members of An Garda Siochána
and by other means as may be required by An Garda Siochana in order to ensure effective protection for the dignity of all persons
within or passing through the State.
We will ensure that all relevant legal instruments are used so that the practice of extraordinary rendition does not occur in this State in
any form.
2. Ireland will seek EU and international support to address deficiencies in aspects of the regulation of civil aviation under the
Chicago Convention.
Disarmament and the Arms Trade
We will :
• Continue to press for nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.
• Support a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the trade of arms, covering all weapons and ammunition, and a
binding, strengthened EU code of conduct for arms exports.
• Strengthen controls on military exports and to regulate arms-brokering activities in Ireland through the enactment of the
Control of Exports Bill.
Irish Abroad
For every £1 spent on the Irish Abroad in 1997, we spend €19 today. In the coming five years we will:
Increase funding for emigrant welfare to €34 million per annum.
Maintain the momentum in the campaign for the undocumented Irish. We will use every opportunity to lobby on behalf of
the undocumented Irish.
Resist all attempts to downgrade the Irish Abroad Unit to unanswerable Agency Status and resist all efforts to divert funds
presently allocated to emigrant welfare to the administration of such an Agency.
Complete the process whereby RTÉ can broadcast into the UK.
Work to deliver free public transport for emigrant pensioners when they visit Ireland.
IRELAND IN EUROPE
The EU was a key catalyst in Ireland’s economic and social transformation. It has helped us to realise the full potential of national
sovereignty through the unique arrangement of a community of nations with strong collective action.
We believe passionately in a constructive agenda to use our membership of the European Union to make our country and the wider
Union stronger. The EU has been the greatest force for peace and prosperity in the history of Europe and we believe that it must
continue to evolve to meet modern challenges and deliver practical improvements in the lives of Europeans.
This Government will:
Vigorously oppose all moves towards harmonisation of taxation, especially corporation tax.
Building on the Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps, we will promote a European Civil Peace Corps to assist in humanitarian
disasters.
Ensure that Ireland does not become involved in an EU common defence.
Support moves to increase competitiveness within the Union through developing research and knowledge capacities, as well
as promoting competition.
Propose further measures to improve the quality of communications between the Union and its citizens.
Support efforts to implement a cross-Union approach to energy security and climate change.
Maintain a vigorous stance in defence of Irish maritime communities in all EU Fisheries discussions.
Insist that existing agreements on the CAP be honoured, within the Union and in trade negotiations.
Issue an annual call for proposals to assist local events commemorating Europe Day.
Aim to have Ireland consistently within the top group on the EU internal Market Scoreboard which monitors transposition of
EU Directives.
Support EU moves to ensure airlines have transparent fares, including all taxes and fees, that they end the practice of
charging different prices in different states for the same flight and introduce safer flying regulations.

Press for increased EU supports and more ambitious targets for renewable energy.
Ensure EU funding to underpin the Peace Process continues.
Support moves to minimise EU bureaucracy.
Support moves toward a single European Mortgage Market.
Continue the work of the National Forum on Europe.
Work towards an EU wide ban on television advertising aimed at children.