Gay Mitchell
Question:132 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on a document from the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (details supplied). [15319/99]
Written Answers. - Human Rights.
Ireland's first national report under the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights was examined by the UN committee on economic, social and cultural rights in Geneva on 4-5 May last. The Irish delegation was led by Mr. Bernard McDonagh, Second Secretary at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and several Government Departments were represented at the examination.
The report outlined Irelands efforts to give effect to the rights guaranteed by the covenant, including, inter alia, the right to social security, to an adequate standard of living, to the highest attainable standard of health, to an education, to work, to fair wages and to join trade unions.
Following the two day examination in Geneva, the committee compiled and issued a set of concluding observations on 12 May last. In these observations, the committee noted its frank and constructive dialogue with the Irish delegation. It welcomed the commitment of the Government to implement the Good Friday Agreement, to increase contributions to International Development Co-operation, the adoption of the Employment Equality Act, the establishment of the task force on violence against women, the assessment by the Department of Health and Children of the needs of the mentally handicapped persons for 1997 to 2001 and the proactive approach to reducing unemployment.
Other concerns expressed by the committee were that the convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination has not yet been ratified, the national anti-poverty strategy did not adopt a human rights framework towards the objectives of the covenant, there was no appropriate legislation dealing with the rights of the mentally or physically disabled, the length of hospital waiting lists and that discrimination persists against members of the travelling community.
This was the first time that Ireland's record in implementing the covenant was assessed by the committee and their comments and experience were useful guidance for enhancing the enforcement of the covenant. The second national report under the covenant is almost ready for publication and will include a chapter addressing the comments of the committee following the examination of the first report.
The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, will host the second NGO forum on human rights on 26 June next in Dublin Castle. Panels will discuss a variety of human rights issues, including one panel devoted to the working methods of UN committees and Ireland's reporting obligations under UN instruments, including the experience of the recent examination by the committee on economic, social and cultural rights. The concluding comments of that committee will be made available to all participants at the forum, in accordance with the request of the committee that they be widely disseminated.