Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate

11:40 am

Ms Emily Logan:

I wish to assure Senator Mullen that the commission itself is made up of a group of people with diverse views. Our job, if we are to respect the fundamental principles of human rights, includes respecting diverse opinions. I should state to the Senator that in my presentation, I included respect for the constitutional framework. That is a conversation we will continue to have at the commission but we also respect the international oversight by the United Nations and in this particular circumstance, I recall the Minister for Justice and Equality herself noting how women's rights and children's rights had advanced because of that international oversight. I think it is possible to achieve a balance.