Vol. 509 No. 6
78 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's views on the continued use of the death penalty by a number of countries, including the United States; the steps, if any, the Government will take to seek an end to its use worldwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20872/99]
The Government has expressed its total opposition to the use of the death penalty on a number of occasions over the past number of years, most recently in this House on 29 September last. With regard to the use of capital punishment in the United States in particular, I would refer the Deputy to the statement I made in the Seanad on 17 February last in which I expressed regret at the executions which continued to take place there.
On that occasion, I noted the commitment of the Government to avail of every suitable opportunity to press for the abolition of capital punishment. I also stated the Government's view that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights.
In June 1998, common guidelines for EU initiatives on the issue of the death penalty were agreed and adopted by EU Foreign Ministers. These guidelines state that, where the death penalty still exists, the EU will continue to press for its use to be progressively restricted and for moratoria to be introduced. In addition to interventions on the use of the death penalty in principle, it has also been agreed that, where individual cases violate basic minimum standards, the Union will consider making a specific intervention. It is our strongly-held belief that an EU intervention carries greater force than individual bilateral approaches by national Governments.
Following the adoption of these guidelines, the Union's collective efforts have continued to focus on promoting universal abolition of the death penalty. We have pressed for abolition and have issued demarches on the use of the death penalty in a number of countries, including the United States.
For the past three years, a Resolution on the Question of the Death Penalty has been adopted by the UN Commission on Human Rights with a growing number of co-sponsors. Ireland has been to the fore in building support for this resolution and we strongly supported the decision of the European Union to take the lead in tabling this resolution at this year's session of the Commission.
In order to take this policy on the abolition of the death penalty a step further, to consolidate the achievements at the Commission on Human Rights and to establish the issue of the death penalty on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly, we have decided, in conjunction with our European partners, to introduce a resolution on this question in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, currently taking place in New York. Ireland will work to ensure maximum support and co-sponsorship for this resolution.
