Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he will sign and ratify the optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12335/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government decided to proceed with Ireland's signature of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 21 February 2012. Arrangements are now being made for signature, which will take place shortly. Ratification of the Optional Protocol is a separate step, which must be preceded by a thorough screening of the obligations to be assumed, and will be considered in due course.

The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights opened for signature in New York in September 2009. To date thirty nine (39) States have signed. Nine European Union member states have signed. Seven States have ratified the Optional Protocol: Argentina, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mongolia and Spain. The Optional Protocol will come into force three months after the deposit with the United Nations Secretary General of the tenth instrument of ratification or accession. As only seven States have ratified the Optional Protocol so far it has not yet come into force.