Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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34.To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what engagement his Department has had with the Kingdom of Morocco in the past 12 months regarding the continued occupation of Western Sahara; the work is his Department undertaking to advance the long-awaited referendum on self-determination; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[34346/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland’s long-standing position on Western Sahara is one of full support for the UN-led process, including the MINURSO Mission, and the efforts of Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, to achieve a political solution to this long-standing dispute.

UN Security Council Resolution 2703, adopted on 30 October 2023, extended the mandate of the MINURSO Mission by one year, until 31 October 2024. As per this, and previous Resolutions, I have called on all parties to the dispute, and on the wider international community, to support and assist the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara as he continues his engagements with the parties to the dispute. I welcome the visits and consultations he has undertaken to the region over the past year.

I also support the call in the UNSC Resolution on all parties to cooperate fully with MINURSO in carrying out its important mandate.

My officials, at HQ and in our Mission network, continue to be in ongoing contact with all relevant and interested parties in support of efforts to achieve a solution to this long-standing dispute.