Written answers

Tuesday, 4 April 2006

Department of Foreign Affairs

Human Rights Issues

9:00 pm

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps that have been taken to implement Amnesty International's recommendations concerning the UN World Summit 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13021/06]

Photo of Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the establishment of a new Human Rights Council at the UN; Ireland's attitude towards this council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13097/06]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 86 together.

While the resolution establishing the Human Rights Council did not contain all that Ireland or Amnesty International had hoped for, it represents a clear improvement on the Commission on Human Rights and was the best compromise possible. The resolution was supported by 170 states, including Ireland and our EU partners, with only four states opposed and three abstaining. It was also endorsed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In addition, Amnesty International and other prominent international human rights NGOs favoured the resolution.

I was particularly aware of the desire for reform in the area of human rights while serving as envoy for the UN Secretary General on reform last year. Ireland played a very active role in the long process of negotiation which led to the establishment of the Human Rights Council on 15 March 2006 and was to the fore in working to guarantee a common EU position in favour of the resolution.

In addition to preserving some of the best features of the Commission on Human Rights, such as its system of special procedures and dialogue with NGOs, the Human Rights Council will have a number of notable new features: it will be a standing body that will meet more frequently during the year; it will periodically examine the observance of human rights by all UN member states; it has been elevated to being a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly; and the criteria for membership will make it more difficult for states guilty of serious human rights violations to serve on the Council. This accords with the principal recommendations made by Amnesty International.

The new council will be elected on 9 May 2006 and will begin its work on 19 June 2006. Ireland will now work to ensure that the important decisions to be taken during the initial stages of the council's operation will develop its capacity to play the fullest and most effective possible role.

Apart from the Human Rights Council, the other major issue to which Amnesty International attaches great importance is the increase in funding for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. As one of the largest voluntary contributors to that office, Ireland was very pleased to see that a commitment to double the contribution to the Office of the High Commissioner from the regular UN budget was included in the summit outcome document.

These revised funding arrangements, together with the new Human Rights Council, represent a valuable opportunity for progress on the human rights agenda.

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