Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a decision not to sign the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 24 September 2009 will send a signal to other countries that it is acceptable to deny victims of human rights violations a right of access to justice. [31695/09]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 28: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a decision not to sign the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at the UN signing ceremony in New York on 24 September 2009 would represent a departure in its foreign policy from its stated support for global recognition of the equal value and importance of all human rights, reaffirmed by Ireland at the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights in 1993. [31756/09]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the regard which was taken, in relation to the positions of other UN Member States towards signing and ratifying the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights when it opens for signature and ratification in New York on 24 September 2009, in deciding the Government's position on signing on that day. [31755/09]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position he will take on the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which opens for signature and ratification in New York on 24 September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31694/09]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report to Dáil Éireann on Ireland's timetable for signature and ratification of the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which opens for signature and ratification in New York on 24 September 2009. [31696/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions which have taken place with officials from other Departments on the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which opens for signature and ratification in New York on 24 September 2009; and the nature, content and conclusions of these discussions. [31754/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will sign the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights when it opens for signature and ratification in New York on 24 September 2009; and if not, the reason for this position. [31753/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 , 28, 31, 52, 62, 69 and 73 together.

I refer the Deputies to my written answer of 16 September 2009 on this subject: "The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) was ratified by Ireland on 8 December 1989.

The Optional Protocol to this International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR) will set up a mechanism that will make it possible for individuals or groups of individuals to submit a complaint to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in regard to violations of their economic, social and cultural rights by a State Party to that Protocol. It does not create any new substantive rights.

Discussions on the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR took place in a Working Group which held its first session in 2004. In June 2006, the UN Human Rights Council mandated the Working Group to negotiate the text of an Optional Protocol, and requested the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group to prepare a draft to serve as the basis for negotiations.

Following consideration by the UN Human Rights Council, the text of the Optional Protocol was presented to the UN General Assembly last year which adopted the text by consensus on 10 December 2008, the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Officials of this Department were actively engaged at all stages of negotiation on the Optional Protocol, in consultation with other relevant Government Departments, our EU partners and other UN member states.

Inter-departmental consultations on consideration of Ireland's signature and ratification of the Optional Protocol are continuing, with this Department playing a co-ordination role. Accordingly we do not expect to be in a position to sign the Optional Protocol at the signing ceremony in New York on 24 September 2009.".