Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason, that of the original fifteen EU States, Ireland is one of only two to have not signed up to the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture which entered into force on 22 June 2006 and is binding on 34 States; when Ireland will sign up to this convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18653/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On 18 December 2002, the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment. Ireland, along with other EU partners, fully supported the draft Optional Protocol and worked for its adoption at the UN General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights. The Optional Protocol entered into force on 22 June 2006.

The object of the Protocol is to establish a system of regular visits undertaken both by an independent international body and by national bodies to places of detention with a view to preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The international body is to be a subcommittee of the UN Committee against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment. At the national level, States Parties are required to maintain, designate or establish one or more bodies for the prevention of torture at the domestic level.

As regards our signature of the Optional Protocol with a view to subsequent ratification, the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform informed the Dáil on Tuesday, 8 November 2005, that he would review national legislation to ascertain whether legislative changes would be required before signature and ratification of the Optional Protocol. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has now drafted a memorandum requesting the authority of the Government to arrange for the signature, subject to ratification, of the Optional Protocol. The Department of Foreign Affairs will be making the necessary arrangements for signature as soon as this approval is received. I understand that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is currently in the process of preparing the necessary legislation to enable ratification to take place.