Vol. 566 No. 3
180 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made with regard to meeting the commitment given in the Good Friday Agreement that the Human Rights Commissions, North and South, would consider the introduction of a charter reflecting and endorsing agreed measures for the protection of the fundamental rights of everyone living on the island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9863/03]
The joint committee of the two human rights commissions in both jurisdictions, North and South, has been established as provided for in the Good Friday Agreement and the underlying legislation, section 8(i) of the Human Rights Commission Act 2000. Several meetings of the committee have already taken place. Work arising from that commitment including, in particular, the question of establishing a charter on rights protection on an all Ireland basis has commenced. The Human Rights Commission in this jurisdiction has recently published its strategic plan for 2003-06. The plan sets out key areas of work on which it proposes to focus over the next four years, including the following: to work with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, through the joint committee, to develop a charter of rights in line with the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement and engage in an inclusive consultation process on the charter.
The HRC has informed me that the joint committee, at its meeting in Belfast on 11 April, agreed a pre-consultation document on a charter of rights for Ireland. It will be sent to a small number of organisations in both parts of Ireland. The pre-consultation document will present three types of charter which could be recommended and will indicate the committee's preferred option at this stage. The joint committee hopes that this pre-consultation process will be followed by the publication of a fully fledged consultation document before the end of 2003 or, at the latest, early in 2004.
