Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions his Department has taken to allow for the implementation of the Istanbul convention; if his Department has any engagement with the Department of Justice and Equality on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48574/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is not party to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention). Although my Department has an important role in relation to signing and ratifying international agreements, the necessary legislative or administrative measures required to implement them are for the line Department responsible for the subject matter of the agreement, in this case Department of Justice and Equality. My Department has been consulted by the Department of Justice and Equality on issues relating to the possible signature and ratification of the Convention. The Minister for Justice and Equality recently indicated that she intends to seek the approval of the Government to sign the Convention on behalf of Ireland as early as possible in 2015.