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The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade today announced that Ireland is making a declaration accepting the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.   The Tánaiste said:  "I am delighted that the Government has taken a decision that Ireland should accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.   This decision is fully consonant with the commitment in Article 29 of the Constitution to the peaceful settlement of international disputes by international courts and tribunals. It is also consistent with the Government’s objective of enhancing Ireland’s standing as a respected and influential member of the international community.” The declaration is being lodged today at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The possibility of accepting the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction had been signalled as far back as the White Paper on Foreign Policy in 1996. The Government took a decision in principle in April that Ireland would accept the Court’s jurisdiction by the end of the year and a decision on 7 December that a declaration should be lodged.