Seanad debates
Wednesday, 18 June 2003
European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage.
While there is a high level of compatibility between the Constitution and the convention, and with the European Charter which has come from the work on the draft convention, we should not take the view that these have nothing to add. In many ways they express things in different ways or more directly. I am happy we are to have both – the best in the combined tradition of the Continent, to which we belong, and the best of what we have developed. It is not one above the other but the parallels can be made compatible and consistent to the maximum extent.
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