Professor Michael O'Flaherty:

It is necessary to distinguish between procedural compliance and implementation of findings. Ireland is fine with regard to procedural compliance, and it is as good as any of its fellow European states in delivering good and detailed reports and responding to the various requirements of the procedures. I pay credit in that regard to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which does a fine job in marshalling Ireland's engagement across human rights procedures.

With regard to formal substantive compliance, like any other country, Ireland is not uniquely bad or good. It has problems, and they are the subject of these hearings. We have heard about some very serious matters this morning. I tend not to rank countries, as I do not find it helpful to say a country is more good or less good. I spent eight years as a member of the UN Human Rights Committee and I reviewed the reports of approximately 85 countries. One would be struck by the extent to which problems emerge in any country on earth, so it is probably not helpful to get into a comparative discussion but rather to acknowledge that, as is the case for any other country in the world, Ireland needs the help and support of review procedures like this.