Vol. 482 No. 3
11 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has set up the promised standing committee on human rights; if he will give details of its functioning to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18114/97]
The Deputy may be aware that two official level committees which deal with human rights issues have been established this year under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs. I am glad to have this opportunity to reiterate the Government's special commitment to the advocacy and vindication of human rights and, in light of the fact that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, special efforts will be made to emphasise that commitment.
The first committee, the Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Human Rights, held its inaugural meeting on 18 February and met again on 17 July. Meeting approximately quarterly, the committee is mandated to consider all aspects of Ireland's international human rights obligations. It is concerned in particular with ensuring the timely preparation of comprehensive national reports under the various international instruments already ratified and with expediting the legislation necessary for the ratification of additional instruments. In this regard I am keen to see the United Nations Conventions on Torture and the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination ratified as soon as possible. The preparatory work for this is under way in the Department concerned. The committee will play a useful role in expediting these ratifications and as a forum for co-ordination and co-operation between Departments on human rights issues generally.
The second committee is the Joint Department of Foreign Affairs-NGO Standing Committee on Human Rights. This committee held its inaugural meeting on 11 June and met again on 17 September. It provides a formal framework for a regular exchange of views between the Department of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the NGO community.
Successive Ministers for Foreign Affairs have found the contribution of Irish NGOs on human rights issues extremely valuable. The placing of the network of contacts on a more formal footing by establishing this committee was a welcome step and will be of considerable value to me as Minister of State with special responsibility for human rights and the Minister whose commitment to human rights is well known. The specific designation of human rights among my ministerial responsibilities is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to this area. It is worth pointing out in this context that all our development assistance programmes, which are also my responsibility, have a human rights and democratisation component.
The Joint Department of Foreign Affairs-NGO Standing Committee on Human Rights has already had a number of useful discussions and has drawn up an intensive programme of work for itself covering a wide range of topics. I express my appreciation to the NGO community and independent experts for making their expertise available to us in this new way.
Ongoing informal contacts on human rights matters between NGOs and the various divisions of my Department continue and have in no sense been replaced or restricted by the establishment of the committee. They are more intensive than ever and the setting up of the human rights unit in the Department with its co-ordinating role in this area serves to facilitate a valuable two way channel of communication. To ensure the fullest utilisation of the experience of the broader NGO community we intend to hold an annual NGO forum on human rights to which all interested organisations will be invited. We propose to hold the first of these in advance of the next annual session of the UN Commission on Human Rights which takes place in March 1998.
How often does the Minister of State expect the Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Human Rights to meet and how will it operate? I understand it last met in July. Will the Department rely to a greater or lesser extent on the advice and inspiration derived from the committee?
I expect the Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Human Rights to meet approximately quarterly. It is mandated to consider all aspects of our international human rights obligations and is concerned in particular with ensuring the timely preparation of comprehensive national reports under the various international instruments already ratified. We have been informed by the United Nations that the first report under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child will be examined in Geneva in January 1998. The Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Human Rights will co-ordinate preparations for that examination. Work on the draft of the second report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is well advanced. A consultation between Government Departments and NGOs on the draft was held in the Department of Foreign Affairs on 28 October. It is expected that the report will be forwarded to the United Nations in Geneva in the near future. Ireland's first report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was completed in November 1996 and work has already begun on the preparation of the second. As the examining bodies of the United Nations have an extremely heavy work programme it is not expected that either report will be examined before late 1998 or early 1999.
The establishment of those two committees was an important demonstration of the interest in and commitment to the vindication of human rights in my Department, in particular the establishment of the human rights unit, a very important vehicle for policy development. The non-governmental community always has been a great contributor to policy formulation on the part of successive Ministers for Foreign Affairs. I hope this Government will be very strong on advocating human rights internationally and on compliance with domestic legislation in line with all of our international obligations.
