Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The importance of promoting the rights of citizens is clearly highlighted in the Government's Statement of Common Purpose, which gives an undertaking to ensure that every one of our citizens has an effective right, free from discrimination, to contribute to the economic, social and cultural life of the nation. Our goal is that Ireland will be recognised as a modern, fair, socially inclusive and equal society. This is a commitment that has a horizontal impact on how we conduct our business, both domestically and in the international sphere, including at European Union level.

The Lisbon Treaty brought about a significant advance in the Union's treatment of fundamental rights, with the Charter of Fundamental Rights becoming a legally binding document with the same legal value as the Treaties. Since the entry into force of the Treaty, Ireland has worked with its fellow Member States to ensure that the Council plays its role in the effective implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Furthermore, Ireland was and continues to be strongly supportive of EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, a step which is explicitly provided for the Lisbon Treaty. All EU Member States are already party to the Convention and the Court of Justice of the European Union already has regard to the provisions of the Convention and judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in identifying EU fundamental rights.