Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 9, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:
“8. Pursuant to the Good Friday Agreement, an international agreement, of which this Government is a co-guarantor the Irish Government will take steps to further strengthen the protection of human rights in its jurisdiction. The Government will, bring forward measures to strengthen and underpin the constitutional protection of human rights. These proposals will draw on the European Convention on Human Rights and other international legal instruments in the field of human rights and the question of the incorporation of the ECHR will be further examined in this context. The measures brought forward would ensure at least an equivalent level of protection of human rights as will pertain in Northern Ireland. In addition, the Irish Government will—(a) maintain and promote a Human Rights Commission with a mandate and remit equivalent to that within the North of Ireland, and
(b) continue to take further active steps to demonstrate its respect for the different traditions in the island of Ireland.”

As I stated on Second Stage, there is considerable concern about the impact of the proposed amalgamation of the Irish human rights and equality commission in terms of the Good Friday Agreement. The Minister is aware of the opposition within Unionism to the human rights and equality agenda. There is a responsibility on the Minister and the Government to ensure equivalence so that all citizens on the island of Ireland who voted for the Good Friday Agreement benefit from what it promised. The proposed amalgamation is clearly not in line with that Agreement. There is a human rights commission in the North, but this proposed new commission will not have the full range of powers in the North. There is a view that this is about resources and cost savings. It is certainly not about empowerment of the citizens. When it comes to human rights and equality and the Good Friday Agreement, there needs to be equivalence across the island of Ireland.
This amendment reflects our core objection to the legislation. If our concern is not addressed in the way we suggest we must oppose the Bill.