20 Feabh 2013, 18:12
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement tomorrow meets with representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Human Rights Consortium to discuss a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
20 February 2013
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which operates on an all island basis, is the largest civil society organisation on the island with over 800,000 members. The membership of the Human Rights Consortium comprises almost 200 non-governmental organisations, trade unions and community groups across Northern Ireland.
Committee Chairman Joe McHugh TD says: “The purpose of tomorrow’s meeting is to listen to calls for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, for which provision was originally included in the Good Friday Agreement. Our Committee is keen to chart a course forward in which outstanding matters can be resolved.
“With the incorporation socio-economic rights seen as particularly challenging, ICTU representatives will outline to the Committee their perspective and role in the campaign for a Bill of Rights. The Human Rights Consortium, since its establishment in 2000, has been actively campaigning for a strong and inclusive Bill of Rights, and addressed the Committee last May. It was noted at that meeting that contentious issues, such as devolving justice and policing powers, have been resolved satisfactorily in recent years where there was political will on all sides to reach agreement.
The Committee meeting will take place in Committee Room 4, LH 2000 at 11 am tomorrow Thursday 21 February.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
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Ends
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Members of the Committee:
Deputies Seán Conlan, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Regina Doherty, Peter Fitzpatrick, Frank Feighan, Martin Ferris, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Peter Fitzpatrick, Michael P. Kitt, Joe McHugh, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Joe O’Reilly, Brendan Smith and Joanna Tuffy.
Senators Jim D’Arcy, Maurice Cummins, Martin McAleese, Mary Moran, Mary White.
Chairman: Joe McHugh, TD Vice-Chairman: Joe O'Reilly, TD