Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 1

Written Answers. - European Convention on Human Rights.

Bertie Ahern

Ceist:

166 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice the plans, if any, she has to introduce legislation to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law; and if she will give details of the principal issues, problems or difficulties. [14601/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The approach of successive Governments to the European Convention on Human Rights, and to other international instruments on human rights to which Ireland is party, has been to carry out a detailed assessment of their obligations, both before ratification and in response to subsequent interpretation of the instruments, to see whether these are already provided for in Irish law or whether additional legislation is needed.

The question of the incorporation of the European Convention into Irish law raises a number of issues which would have to be answered before such a proposal could be given consideration. Principal among those issues are the conflicts which could be associated with incorporating into our laws provisions relating to rights contained in the Convention which duplicate rights either explicitly provided for in our Constitution or implicit in its provisions.