Written Answers. - International Multilateral Agreements.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
205
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
the proposed international multilateral agreements under the auspices of her Department being negotiated or prepared; the international organisation, if any, in each case through whose machinery the agreement is being negotiated; if it is proposed to ratify or accede to the agreement if adopted; if so, if legislation will be required; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13189/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
206
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
the international multilateral agreements under the auspices of her Department which have not been signed by the State; the date and place it was opened for signature in each case; the international organisation, if any, through whose machinery the agreement was negotiated; if it is proposed to sign the agreement; if so, when; if legislation is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13204/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
207
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
the international multilateral agreements under the auspices of her Department which have been signed but not ratified or acceded to by the State; the date and place it was opened for signature in each case; the international organisation, if any, through whose machinery the agreement was negotiated; if it is proposed to ratify or accede to the agreement; if so, when; if legislation is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13219/99]
Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimhir 205, 206 agus 207 le chéile.
International Agreements currently being negotiated
UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 711 on 28 January 1998.
Ireland has participated in the meetings of governmental experts held to date and it is understood that a further meeting of experts is to be held next year with a view to preparing a text for negotiation at a Diplomatic Conference. While Ireland supports the adoption of this convention, it is likely that legislation would be required to allow for its ratification.
International Agreements not yet signed
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 713 on 28 January 1998.
The European Convention on Transfrontier Television was opened for signature by the Com mittee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 5 May 1989, in Strasbourg, France. It entered into force on 1 May 1993.
A Protocol to amend the convention was adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 9 September 1998, and opened for acceptance by the parties to the convention on 1 October 1998. The Protocol will enter into force when all parties to the present convention have accepted it or, alternatively, two years after it has been opened for acceptance, i.e. 1 October, 2000, unless a State which is or has become a party to the present convention within three months after the opening for acceptance of the amending Protocol, i.e. before 1 January 1999 at the latest, has notified an objection to this automatic entry into force.
While no proposals have been submitted to Government concerning Ireland signing and ratifying the convention it is my intention for my to initiate contacts with the Department of Foreign Affairs with a view to Ireland signing and ratifying the convention possibly by the year 2000.
The question of signing the Council of Europe – The European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production and developing co-production agreements generally, will be examined in the context of the report of the strategic review group (Think Tank) which I expect to receive very soon.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 269 of 16 June 1998, when the position regarding the Unidroit Convention on the international return of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects was outlined. Legislation is required before ratification can take place and I am currently considering the next steps in this process, having regard to the limited resources at my disposal.
The question of signing the ASCOBANS Agreement under the Bonn Convention (Agreement for the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas) is still under consideration. The agreement was opened for signature in New York in 1992 under the auspices of the United Nations.
I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 481 of 23 March 1999 in regard to the Council of Europe – The European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages and the Council of Europe – The European Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 713 on 28 January 1998.
International Agreements signed but not ratifiedI refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 712 on 28 January 1998.
My Department is currently reviewing the question of ratification of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention). Legislation will be necessary to allow for such ratification.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) cannot be ratified until the amendments to the Wildlife Act, 1976, (which I propose to publish during the current parliamentary session) have been enacted.
The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds cannot be ratified until the amendments to the Wildlife Act, 1976 – which I propose to publish during the current parliamentary session – have been enacted.
