asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 580 on the International Institute of Human Rights which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23rd January, 1970; and whether they will make a regular contribution to the International Institute of Human Rights, as suggested in paragraph 9 of the recommendation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Council of Europe Recommendations.
32.
As I indicated in a reply to the Deputy on 28th October last the Government are not proposing at present to make a contribution to the International Institute of Human Rights at Strasbourg. However, if the majority of the members of the Council of Europe consider it appropriate that a contribution should be made by the Council of Europe to the Institute, as suggested in the recommendation, the Irish Government would not object to such a course.
33.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 583 on suppression of, and guaranteeing against, unjustifiable discrimination which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23rd January, 1970; and whether they will take steps to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination as requested by the Assembly in paragraph 6 of this recommendation.
The Government support in general Recommendation 583 of the Consultative Assembly. In particular it favours instructing the Committee of Experts on Human Rights to draft an additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights which would cover the prohibition of discrimination in certain fields.
In regard to the second part of the Deputy's question on the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, Ireland signed this Convention subject to ratification on the 23rd March, 1968. In order to enable this country to ratify the convention it would seem that legislation may be necessary to give effect to some of its provisions and this matter is being examined.
34.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 585 on Legal Problems Raised by the Pollution of the Sea—Consequences of the Wreck of the Torrey Canyon, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24th January, 1970; and whether they will take steps to ratify the instruments concluded by the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation and the amendments adopted by the same organisation, as follows: (a) the international convention relating to intervention on the high seas in cases of oil pollution casualties; (b) the international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage; and (c) the 1969 amendments to the international convention for the prevention of pollution of the sea by oil, 1954.
Recommendation 585 concerning legal problems raised by pollution of the sea is, in principle, acceptable to the Government. The question of signing the two conventions referred to in paragraph 12 of the recommendation as well as that of acceptance of the 1969 amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil of 1954 is under active consideration.