Ireland just became one of the most powerful nations on Earth - if only for a year or two. As of last Friday, Ireland is on the United Nations Security Council, one of the "principal organs" of the UN, and no, you should stop sniggering.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said Ireland would be "a catalyst for more consensus building", which doesn't sound like a fun way to spend our time. Like in a period of maximum uncertainty, this might be a time to strike and grab some influence in the world. Let's find a country that we could actually take in a fight and invade them. Me, I'm saying Iceland: it's not that far away, there's not that many of them and we could get some serious skiing holidays out of it. You might think our empire should start with somewhere warm, but admit it, we're terrible in the heat.
Annoying, Simon Coveney said that "we want to see Ireland playing a constructive, impactful role, but the only way you get that done in international politics and around a table as significant as the UN Security Council is to try to build consensus, relationships and trust, and ensure Ireland becomes a credible voice." Try to enjoy yourself, Si.
He added "This means saying no at times and standing up for ourselves and our own principles, even when it is a friend coming calling." I can't possibly imagine who he might be talking about there, but it probably rhymes with cans.
We'll be joined by Estonia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Niger, Norway, St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam. It says a lot about the ridiculous nature of the UN Security Council that India (pop. more than a billion) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (pop. less than Waterford) get the same billing.
It's a pretty bad time to step up to the plate of world governance, but we've got previous. Last time we were on the Security Council, 2001/2, there was the September 11th attacks in New York; the time before that was 1981, when we discovered the AIDS virus and in 1962, when the Cuban Missile Crisis nearly brought the world to an end.
So it'll all be uphill, I suppose. Go for it Ireland.
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