asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will immediately take all appropriate steps so that this country may become a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Written Answers. - Human Rights.
23.
The Government have recently agreed that the committee established under the chairmanship of the Attorney General to review the situation with regard to the ratification by Ireland of various international instruments in the field of human rights should in the next phase of its activities undertake an examination of the measures necessary to enable Ireland to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The Deputy will recall that the committee has heretofore concentrated on an examination of matters arising in the context of ratification of the UN Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and Economic and Social Rights, towards which objective considerable progress has now been made. The committee has already commenced its work in regard to the Convention, which will involve a detailed scrutiny of the legislative, and other, implications of ratification. The decisions necessary to enable ratification to proceed will be taken in the light of the committee's findings.