asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will consider urging the UN to have the death penalty outlawed universally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Capital Punishment.
18.
In response to an invitation from the General Assembly of the United Nations last autumn, the Economic and Social Council, of which Ireland is not at present a member, considered the question of capital punishment at its recent session and adopted a resolution on 16th May, 1973, re-affirming that the main objective to be pursued is that of progressively restricting the number of offences for which capital punishment might be imposed with a view to the desirability of abolishing this punishment. Ireland has in the past been in a position to vote in favour of resolutions on the subject at the United Nations, having regard to our existing law and practice, and I have no doubt that we will find it possible to do so in the future, if and when the question comes before the General Assembly again.