Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

Ba mhaith liom fíor fáilte roimh Dr. Manning anseo inniu ar an lá tábhachtach seo agus ar an díospóireacht thábhachtach seo. Ba mhaith liom fíor fáilte a chur roimh na daoine in the Gallery. I want to welcome them and the various organisations they represent.

I have only a short time in which to pose a question to Dr. Manning on this very important day, the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the organisation following the Good Friday Agreement. I want to put on record that the constitutional review group recommended the formation of the organisation.

My question concerns Dr. Manning's strategic goal No. 6, which is to strengthen the organisational capacity to carry out his mandate. While his organisation's mandate under Articles 40 to 44 of the Constitution is well outlined, how does he envisage the House helping him? Although no money is available, he mentioned the fact we do not have a committee particular to his needs, which is one route we should consider.

I congratulate the Leader for organising the opening up of the House today and for ensuring that human rights was its priority for this first term. I ask that Dr. Manning would outline how we could help ensure his strategic goal No. 6 is achieved. We in this House can learn from his organisation as well. I congratulate the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach for appointing one of the members of the commission, Senator Zappone, to this House, which shows human rights is taken seriously in every way. As legislators, we have to ensure, when speaking on human rights, that we have respect for difference and value inclusiveness and diversity in all our debates and legislation.