17 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of money owed to this country by the United Nations arising from involvement in UN peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations; the steps, if any, he is taking to exert pressure on other countries to discharge their debts to the United Nations in order that its financial position will be strengthened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25509/99]

Ireland is owed approximately IR£8.3 million for the cost of providing Irish personnel to United Nations peacekeeping missions abroad. The only missions for which Ireland is entitled to reimbursement of troop costs by the UN are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Since 1 January 1999, the UN has repaid arrears of approximately £5.4 million to Ireland, almost entirely in respect of UNIFIL.