Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 130: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason Ireland has yet to ratify the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes; when Ireland will ratify same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11940/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The convention in question is primarily designed to reduce both the number of experiments and the number of animals used for such purposes. Parties to the convention are encouraged not to experiment on animals except where there is no alternative and to encourage research into alternative methods. Animals to be experimented on should be selected on the basis of clearly established quantitative criteria and must be well cared for and spared avoidable suffering whenever possible.

In Ireland, these outcomes are achieved in practice by the European Communities (Amendment to the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876) Regulations 2002 which give effect to Council Directive 86/609/EEC regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. However, ratification of the convention would require primary legislation and, as there would be no additional protection of experimental animals, I could not justify allocating resources for this purpose. Accordingly, there are no proposals to proceed with ratifying the convention.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 131: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason Ireland has yet to sign or ratify the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine; when Ireland will sign and ratify same, together with its protocols; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11942/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Ireland is not a signatory to the Council of Europe Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine as there are difficulties with some articles that have implications for the destruction of human embryos. The question of Ireland signing the convention with formal reservations in respect of those articles with which difficulties have been identified has been kept under review.

These, and other issues, were examined by the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, the report of which was published in May 2005. The Government has referred the report to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children to allow for further political consideration of the complex issues involved. Once concluded, the deliberations of the joint committee will provide a basis for further public debate prior to the finalisation of any policy proposals. The question of ratifying the convention will be examined in the light of the outcome of this debate.