Seanad debates
Wednesday, 18 June 2003
European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage.
The Government, having considered the matter at great length and, I imagine, great depth, wisely decided to adopt a similar approach and legislate to give further effect to the convention here. It was a very wise decision. The convention, however, goes further than the 1998 Human Rights Act of the United Kingdom and takes into account four additional operational protocols. The 1952 Protocol deals with property, education and electoral rights. Protocol No. 4 prohibits imprisonment for inability to pay a debt and individual or collective expulsion of nationals. Protocol No. 6, as we know, deals with the abolition of the death penalty while Protocol No. 7 contains procedural safeguards concerning the expulsion of lawfully resident aliens, the right of appeal in criminal matters, compensation for wrongful conviction, the right not to be punished twice for the same offence and equality between spouses.
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