Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - International Criminal Court.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

180 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the agreement was concluded on the Rome Statute to establish the International Criminal Court; when the Government signed the statute; the number of states required to ratify the agreement before the court can be established; the number of States which have now ratified the agreement; and the date as to when Ireland will ratify the agreement. [9444/02]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted by a diplomatic conference of plenipotentiaries in Rome on 17 July 1998 and was signed by Ireland on 7 October of that year. Under the terms of Article 126 of the Rome Statute, the statute will enter into force shortly after it has been ratified by 60 states. Upon entry into force of the statute, the first meeting of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute will be convened. The Assembly of States Parties will elect the judges, prosecutor and registrar of the court and will make arrangements on the financing of the court. It is expected that the court will be operational in 2003.

As of 19 March 2002, 56 states had ratified the Rome Statute. It is hoped Ireland will be in a position to ratify the statute later this year. A draft scheme of the legislation has been produced by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and is currently being studied by my Department.