Ireland viewed as UN Secuity Council's 'conscience'

Ireland has used the seat at the council to speak truth to power since it joined in January

Geraldine Byrne Nason, Irish Ambassador to the UN, seen here at the wheel while promoting Irish tourism when she was Ambassador to France, says that our country acts as a moral arbiter in world affairs.

Ireland is seen as the "conscience" of the UN Security Council, according to the state's ambassador to the organisation.

Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Nations, said she would not defend the Security Council as a "perfect institution" but said Ireland has used the seat at the council to speak truth to power.

Ireland became an elected member of the United Nations Security Council in January 2021 for a two-year term and the state's stance as a non-militarily aligned country means they are regarded as an independent voice on foreign policy.

"I think that there is certainly a sense that Ireland, to quote a very senior member of the Security Council, said: 'Ireland is our conscience'," Ms Byrne Nason said during the John Hume Lecture at MacGill Summer school's virtual event on Friday.

We're regarded as a country that is not afraid to express our view and not afraid to put to use our power.

Ms Byrne Nason noted that after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Ireland was at the forefront of the Security Council insisting that the statement from the Security Council refer specifically to the role of women and the protection of women's and girls rights, adding that Ireland has been a strong voice for civilians during the conflict in Gaza.

"My view of Ireland on the Security Council that we came on to get the job done, on that we are very clear, and that we have an independent and unique voice," she added.

We can speak with all of the Security Council, particularly the permanent members.

"If you can just look across the spectrum from China to Russia, US, UK and France, not everyone has an open, clear path to conversations with each of those permanent members.

"We use that to the full. Ireland is not regarded as recruitable automatically by any one of the five permanent members.

"What you see is what you get with Ireland at the Security Council.

"We didn't change our traditional foreign policy. We're not for sale in terms of support for issues. We stand up as we've always done, and speak out."