The committee is a select committee for the purpose of considering the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. I will leave the private business until later to facilitate the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Hanafin, who I welcome. I also welcome Mr. Philip Watt, Director of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism.
The UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is one of the most important human rights instruments. Although Ireland signed the convention in 1968 we have not been able to ratify it as the necessary legislation was not in place. I welcome the fact that the Employment Equality Act, 1998, and the Equal Status Act, 2000, are in place. It means that the convention can be ratified.
It is deplorable that on a topic such as racial discrimination, Ireland has waited 32 years to ratify the convention. Approximately 156 countries have ratified it. Ireland is at the bottom of the heap in spite of its protestation of concern for people etc. The reality is different.