Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004
406 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the Good Friday Agreement provides for parity of human rights on both sides of the Border; if all legislation must accordingly comply with such provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30963/04]
View answerBoth Governments are obliged under the terms of the Agreement reached in the multi-party negotiations on Northern Ireland in 1998 to take comparable and complementary steps to further strengthen the protection of human rights in their respective jurisdictions. The relevant details are set out in the section of the Agreement entitled Rights, Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity.
The most important features are that Human Rights Commissions have been established North and South and the European Convention on Human Rights has been incorporated in both jurisdictions. The joint committee of the two Human Rights Commissions is also continuing its work in developing proposals for a charter of rights which will be open to signature by all democratic political parties, reflecting and endorsing agreed measures for the protection of the fundamental rights of everyone living on the island of Ireland. The aim of the Agreement is, therefore, to provide templates to ensure equivalence of human rights protections in both jurisdictions.
As regards the European Convention on Human Rights, all contracting states are required to ensure that their laws are fully compliant with its provisions. Additionally, in our case, we are bound by the fundamental rights provisions of Articles 40 to 44 of the Constitution.
