Explainer: Ireland’s Membership of the UNSC.

On 1 January 2021, Ireland took its seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for 2021-2022. This will be Ireland’s fourth time to serve as a non-permanent Council member having previously served in 1962, 1981-82 and 2001-02.

This explainer aims to introduce Ireland’s membership of the UN Security Council by examining some of its key features and functions, as well as by assessing what Ireland can hope to achieve during its two-year term.