Chapter III. PLEDGES IRAQ EXCERPTS FROM NATIONAL STATEMENT The Government of Iraq considers among its priorities the problem of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It has taken a number of steps, both practical and legal, to limit the root causes of these negative phenomena, taken into special consideration the prevailing security situation in the country and the challenging problems it faces caused by years of war and economic sanctions. The steps it has taken provided the ground for the return of a large number of Iraqi IDPs to their area of origin as well as the voluntary return of a large number of Iraqi refugees. The Government provided and continues to provide financial, material and food assistance to returnees and Iraqi refugees; this is in addition to special assistance to vulnerable returnees and refugees returning from neighbouring countries. Such assistance is provided in close coordination with international organizations including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has been active in providing low-cost accommodation to a number of IDPs. The Republic of Iraq continues to host a large number of refugees, which has increased sharply following the on-going events in the Syrian Arab Republic. The refugees originate mainly from neighbouring countries. Some of these refugees have been hosted at refugee camps in accordance with international standards. IRELAND EXCERPTS FROM NATIONAL STATEMENT Ireland is fully committed to the 1951 Convention, and to the promotion of its universal adoption. Guided by its principles, we have worked recently to further refine our practices in the area of asylum and to comprehensively reform and simplify our refugee status determination process through the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2010, which is currently before the Irish Parliament. This bill proposes the introduction of a single procedure for the investigation of all grounds for protection and any other reasons which an applicant presents for seeking to remain in the State, removing the sequential processes associated with the existing system and allowing an applicant to receive a final decision in a more efficient and timely manner. This is an outcome which can only be in the interests of the applicant and indeed the integrity of the refugee status determination process. Ac- 83