Written Answers. - International Agreements.
Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:
205
Ms F. Fitzgerald
asked the
Minister for Equality and Law Reform
the proposed international agreements under the auspices of his Department which are currently being drafted or prepared; and the international organisation, if any, responsible for the proposed agreement in each case.
[19427/96]
Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:
206
Ms F. Fitzgerald
asked the
Minister for Equality and Law Reform
the international agreements under the auspices of his Department which, as of 1 January 1996, have been signed by the State but have not been ratified; the international organisation, if any, responsible for the agreement in each case; the date and place each agreement was adopted or opened for signature; the date it was signed by the State; whether it is proposed to ratify each agreement; and if so, when.
[19446/96]
Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:
207
Ms F. Fitzgerald
asked the
Minister for Equality and Law Reform
the international agreements under the auspices of his Department which, as of 1 January 1996, have not been signed by the State and which it is proposed that the State should sign or become a party to; the international organisation, if any, responsible for the agreement in each case; the date and place each agreement was adopted or opened for signature; and when it is proposed to sign each agreement or become a party to it.
[19461/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 205, 206 and 207 together.
The proposed international agreements under the auspices of my Department which are currently being drafted or prepared are the EU draft convention on scope, jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters; the EU draft convention on the service in the member states of the European Union of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters; and the draft convention on the protection of children, prepared by the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Government approval is being sought for the signature of the European Convention on the Exercise of Children's Rights, prepared by the Council of Europe and proposed to be signed on behalf of Ireland when the Convention is opened for signature at Strasbourg on 25 January 1996.
Proposals are also being prepared for submission to Government in relation to the signature and ratification, on behalf of Ireland, of the following three conventions: Convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation for public documents, prepared by the Hague Conference on Private International Law and opened for signature at the Hague on 5 October 1961. European Convention on the abolition of legalisation of documents executed by diplomatic or consular officers, prepared by the Council of Europe and opened for signature on 7 June 1968. EC Convention abolishing the legalisation of documents in the member states of the European Communities, opened for signature at Brussels on 25 May 1987.
Ireland is a signature to the Convention on the Accession of Spain and Portugal to the EC Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations. The convention was opened for signature on 18 May 1992 and signed, on behalf of Ireland, at Funchal on that date. It is proposed to ratify the Accession Convention when the necessary enabling legislation has been enacted.
Ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination must await the enactment of two pieces of anti-discrimination legislation currently being prepared — the Employment Equality Bill, which will deal with discrimination in the workplace and the Equal Status Bill, which will deal with discrimination outside the field of employment. This convention was adopted by General Assembly Resolution of 21 December 1965, was opened for signature in New York on 7 March 1966 and signed by Ireland on 21 March 1968.
There is one other international agreement under the auspices of my Department which has not been ratified by the State. This agreement is "ILO Convention 111 concerning Discrimination in respect of Employment and Occupation". The Convention was adopted by the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organisation at Geneva on 25 June 1958. There is no formal signing of ILO instruments similar to procedures followed with, for example, UN instruments. When ILO Conventions are adopted at the organisation's Annual International Labour Conference they are submitted to the appropriate national authority for ratification. Members do not become a party to the Convention until they have ratified it.
Present legislative provision do not facilitate ratification of this convention. The matter is, however, being examined in the context of the forthcoming employment equality legislation.
