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Human Rights Issues.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004

Wednesday, 29 September 2004

Ceisteanna (166, 167)

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

347 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made towards ratification of Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights on non-discrimination; the consultations which he has undertaken with interested parties since the protocol was opened for signature on 4 November 2000; the timescale for ratification of the protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22526/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Protocol 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights, which extends the anti-discrimination provisions of the Convention, was signed by the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 4 November 2000 in Rome. Ireland already has a comprehensive anti-discrimination protection legal code in place since the enactment of the employment equality and equal status Acts which prohibit discrimination on nine separate grounds. It has also put in place an equality infrastructure which offers procedures for individuals to pursue complaints in regard to discrimination experienced on any of these grounds. Ireland, has, therefore, already provided in national law for many of the provisions of Protocol 12. The question of the ratification of Protocol 12 is a matter for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Ten ratifications are needed for this protocol to come into force; to date eight countries have ratified the protocol. The Netherlands and Cyprus are the only European Union member states to have ratified the protocol.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

348 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made towards ratification of Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights on non-discrimination; the consultations which he has undertaken with interested parties since the protocol was opened for signature on 13 May 2004; the timescale for ratification of the protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22527/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Protocol 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, which amends the control system of the Convention, was signed by Minister of State, Deputy Roche. at the Council of Europe ministerial session in Strasbourg in May 2004. The amendments to the Convention set out in this protocol aim to improve the filtering and subsequent processing of applications to the European Court of Human Rights.

The procedures required for ratification are in hand within the Department of Foreign Affairs and I would hope that Ireland will be in a position to ratify the protocol in the near future.

Question No. 349 answered with QuestionNo. 339.
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