Vol. 491 No. 2
131 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into Irish law under the auspices of section 9 of the Agreement reached in the multi-party negotiations on Good Friday, 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9869/98]
135 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when it is proposed to establish the Human Rights Commission in this State as agreed with the British Government and Northern Ireland parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11717/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 135 together.
The Government will honour all the commitments it made in the Agreement reached in the multi-party negotiations in the context of its implementation. Our priority is to ensure that the Agreement is ratified by the people, North and South, in the referendums on 22 May.
The Government has made a number of commitments in the area of rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity as part of the Agreement with a view to further strengthening the protection of human rights in this jurisdiction. These include the commitment to bring forward measures to strengthen and underpin the constitutional protection of human rights taking account of the work of the all-party Oireachtas committee on the Constitution and the report of the Constitution working group. To that end the Taoiseach has asked the all-party Oireachtas committee to consider giving priority to the question of how the protection of human rights might be further strengthened in this jurisdiction against the background of the Agreement. Work will also be taken forward in parallel by the relevant Government Departments and offices, including my Department, which will have the lead role for this purpose. The question of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights will be examined and considered in this context.
The Government has also made a commitment to establish a Human Rights Commission whose mandate and remit will extend to keeping the adequacy and effectiveness of laws and practices under review, making recommendations to Government as necessary, providing information and promoting awareness of human rights, considering draft legislation as required, and, in appropriate cases, bringing court proceedings or providing assistance to individuals doing so. Work on the establishment of a Human Rights Commission will now be taken forward in co-operation with the British Government given the link between the commitment which the Government has made in this regard and the commitment the British Government has made to establish a Human Rights Commission in Northern Ireland.
