Irish Examiner view: Our place among the nations of the world

Let us embrace UN Security Council opportunity

The United Nations Security Council. Ireland has an opportunity to challenge bigger countries for abuse of power, however the reverse is also true. AP Photo/Gregory Bull

That old, tongue-in-cheek invocation to nationalists - "Go forth and take your place among the nations of the world"  - lost some urgency this month when Ireland joined the UN Security Council as one of 10 temporary members. We joined, among others, Estonia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines under the permanent members' China, France, Russia, Britain, and America's watchful eye. Our membership will end next year.

As this is primarily about the accumulation of soft power and gathering influence it will be very difficult to quantify what might be or, in time, what was achieved by this participation. Nevertheless, it seems an opportunity to be embraced with enthusiasm and no little commitment.