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Please be advised that the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations, New York website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Permanent Mission's website is now available at Ireland.ie/un/newyork.

Ireland's financial contribution

Ireland pays 0.418% of the total UN budget. We are one of a small minority of member states who always pay their contribution on time.

The sculpture (measuring 26 x 24 ft) is made in bronze, entitled “Arrival”  and is by Dublin-born sculptor John Behan.  It weights more than 11 tons, and depicts emigrants disembarking from the ship along two gangplanks towards New York’s East River. It was presented by the Irish Government to the UN in 2000.

Arrival, a bronze sculpture by Dublin-born John Behan, depicts emigrants disembarking from the ship along two gangplanks towards New York’s East River. It was presented to the UN by the Irish Government in 2000.

The annual financial contribution of each member state of the UN is based on a number of factors, including income per capita and GNP. Ireland pays 0.418% of the total UN budget. We are one of a small minority of member states who always pay their contribution on time.

The UN’s budget is broken down into four main areas:

  • A regular budget to cover the range of UN programmes in eight headquarters locations. For 2014-15 this is set at US$5.5 billion;
  • A budget for peacekeeping operations. For 2014-15 this is set at US$7.5 billion in respect of 17 peacekeeping missions;
  • A budget for the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and the Residual Mechanism. This is set at US$380 million; and
  • A multi-annual budget of US$1.9 billion to renovate UN Headquarters in New York for safety and other reasons. This work is largely completed.

In addition, the UN also receives voluntary contributions from members states in respect of particular programmes and initiatives.

For More Information

Visit the website of the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly.