Why is the south of Ireland busting a gut to get onto the UN Security Council? Canada and Norway are also looking for a two-year seat, but only two of Canada, Norway and the Republic of Ireland can get elected to a place.
The south of Ireland really, really wants to get that seat. While Canada is wheeling out Celine Dion to help it push for a place, the south has marshalled Bono, U2, Riverdance – you name it, they’ve been recruited to help the south get a place. And last year the south was reckoned to have spent well over €600,000 in its mission.
For why? The Security Council isn’t exactly a muscle-bound giant. It’s supposed to resolve conflicts and take steps to avoid wars already being waged, but they’ve got a dismal record. Syria, Gaza, Iraq – the list goes on of places where the UN resolutions of the Security Council didn’t matter a damn.
Hardly surprising, since China, France Russia the UK and the USA are permanent members and have repeatedly ignored resolutions coming out of the UN Security Council. Besides, those countries – China etc – have a veto on any resolution.
Ireland has been here before. In the 1960s and in the 1980s the south of Ireland had a seat on the Security Council and did that mean a great deal of attention was paid to them or that their presence shaped history? Uh-uh. Permanent countries on the Council use their muscle to get the outcome they want. And powerful countries go ahead with their warlike campaigns, regardless of what the UN thinks. And of course there are questions about the states that are designated as permanent. Why, for example, should the UK have a seat and Brazil doesn’t? And what about India?
The south of Ireland is throwing everything it has at this, and for what? Membership of an ineffectual body which is about as useful as a fifth tit on a dairy cow. And incidentally, what was the last time Ireland voted in a manner icontrary to the wishes of the US?
For a state crawling out from under the of the rubble of economic disaster, this looks like a sad, embarrassing exercise in vanity.
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