Vol. 485 No. 1
13 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consideration, if any, which has been given to the ratification by Ireland of the 1968 United Nations Convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitation to war crimes and the 1974 Convention of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22452/97]
The European Convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitation to crimes against humanity and war crimes was opened for signature on 25 January 1974. It has been signed by Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Romania. The Netherlands is the only state to have it ratified. The convention has not entered into force since it has not been ratified by the required number of countries. The United Nations Convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitation to crimes against humanity and war crimes was opened for signature on 16 December 1968. It entered into force on 11 November 1970 and has been ratified by 43 countries.
The object of these conventions is to encourage the adoption of measures by contracting states to ensure that statutory limitations shall not apply to crimes against humanity and war crimes. The position in this jurisdiction is that statutory limitations do not apply to criminal offences and, accordingly, the question of signature and ratification by Ireland of these conventions is not seen as a priority and has not received consideration in recent time. The Government has, therefore, no immediate plans to arrange for the ratification by Ireland of either convention.
