Ireland looks to St Patrick in bid to win UN seat

FOREIGN Minister Simon Coveney brings a plan to Cabinet today aimed at winning a seat for Ireland at the UN Security Council.

And St Patrick’s Day visits will play a major role in the drive, even though the election to vacancies on the council isn’t until June 2020.

Ireland is seeking international support to serve on the council for the 2021-2022 term. There are two seats available. Our opponents are Canada and Norway, two member states with very strong standing at the UN.

‘While the vote is more than two years away, the campaign is fully underway for support from the 192 other UN Member States who will vote in the election,’ a spokesman for the minister said last night.

The St Patrick’s Day programmes will provide an immediate opportunity to ‘build momentum and visibility’ for our candidature through ministerial trips around the world, the spokesman said.