Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I have one comment on the optional protocol because it was brought up here. We have raised this continuously at the committee and have called for it to be ratified. At a recent meeting, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, said that Ireland does not enter into binding international treaties until the State is confident that the obligations set out can be complied with. To me, that says it will not be ratified any time soon, because there is so much yet to do to make us compliant with the convention but I think we should ratify it.

Compliance is important but so also is giving people the option to make a formal complaint to the UN if they have exhausted all domestic complaints mechanisms. It is important we continue to pursue this matter.