asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Irish Government: (a) abstained in a vote in the European Communities on the issue of the denial of human rights applied to homosexual behaviour between consenting adults and (b) if this vote upholding human rights as applied to homosexual behaviour was carried by 17 votes to three abstentions which included Ireland, Greece and Turkey.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Human Rights Vote.
4.
I assume that the Deputy's question relates to human rights machinery of the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe have not yet been asked to take a decision on the issue referred to by the Deputy. Therefore, the Minister's Deputy in the Committee of Ministers has not participated in or abstained on any vote on the issue.
The Deputy again is misinformed.
Can I take it that in the discussion which will be taking place the attitude of the Minister and the Government under which the gay community are harassed and the laws passed in the British Parliament in 1885 will be changed and made humane as is the case in the rest of the countries of Europe?
The Deputy must be aware that this matter in all likelihood will be put before the European Court of Justice and that the question put down by the Deputy referring to the Irish Government abstaining in a vote in the European Community, whatever that is, on the issue of the denial of human rights related to the Council of Europe which is a totally different institution.
Question No.5.
The whole question is ill-informed and misinformed in regard to——
I asked a Supplementary and the Minister did not answer it.
Question No.5.
Is he still going to go under the 1885 Act under which the community were harassed?
That will be going to the European Court of Justice. We have not voted on this issue in any way and no such vote as suggested by the Deputy has taken place.
The Government have voted by retaining the 1885 Act.
The Deputy is referring to a vote being carried by 17 votes to three abstentors, including Ireland, Greece and Turkey. That vote never took place.