Professor Siobhán Mullally:

The commission's view is that we should be proactive in engaging with human rights and equality issues. Although we will react to requests, we are keen to be proactive in engaging positively with policy and legislative processes, wider policy debates, civil society and parliamentary bodies, including on the types of issue to which the Deputy referred. As both bodies have already done a great deal of work on these issues, we are ready and willing to engage proactively.

In the longer term, we will develop a strategic plan for the new IHREC on the basis of public consultations with civil society and the wider public to identify long-term priorities. Our immediate concerns are to be proactive, to engage in contributing as constructively as possible to ongoing public debates and new and emerging issues, to highlight Ireland's international human rights obligations and commitments and to determine how these can inform the work of public bodies and parliamentary processes.

The Irish Human Rights Commission, IHRC, has been engaging on the matter of human rights education. We are keen to support that approach. We are also keen to support the Equality Authority in raising awareness, disseminating information and enhancing the knowledge base around how equality can meaningfully improve our society. We hope that the communications committee that we have established can be used effectively to support education on human rights and equality.