asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of Ireland in respect of the following conventions: (a) the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education and (b) the UN Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religious Belief; and if Ireland is under obligation as a consequence of these conventions.
Ceisteanna—Question. Oral Answers. - UN and UNESCO Conventions.
9.
Ireland is not a party to the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education. There are therefore no obligations on Ireland arising from the Convention.
Ireland supported the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion or Belief. While a Declaration by the Generaly Assembly constitutes a clear statement of the will of the international community, it is not a legal instrument and consequently does not generate obligations on the part of states.
Why has Ireland not ratified the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education? Will the Department be meeting the UN rapporteur on religious intolerance during his visit to Dublin next week?
We will be meeting in the course of his visit. We have subscribed to the UN Declaration in this area and we feel that is sufficient. The UNESCO Convention was adopted before we became a member of UNESCO. I will certainly inquire as to whether it is possible to subscribe to it. I will be seeing next week the person referred to by the Deputy.