Rights of the Child

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022

Tuesday, 26 July 2022

Questions (1564)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

1564. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice the additional legislative measures required to ensure that the State is compliant with all of the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements under Article 3.1 of the Second Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if she is satisfied with the delay in Ireland’s ratification of the Second Optional Protocol and the resultant negative consequences for Ireland’s human rights record. [40601/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Government continues to be strongly committed to the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A number of significant pieces of legislation had to be passed to ensure that Ireland is in compliance with the obligations of the Optional Protocol. The enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 and the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 constituted key steps on the pathway to the ratification of the Optional Protocol.

The Office of the Attorney General advised that a small number of additional legislative measures are required to ensure that the State is compliant with all of the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements under Article 3.1 of the Protocol. The further necessary legislative amendments have been included in the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022 which will shortly be submitted to the Government for approval. Once this Bill is enacted, Ireland should be in a position to ratify the Second Optional Protocol.