Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

37. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed with members of the Northern Ireland Executive the need to progress the establishment of a bill of rights in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3905/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland is a central provision of the Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement sets out that a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland should be based on the European Convention on Human Rights, enhanced by additional rights to “reflect the principles of mutual respect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem.”

The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent implementation agreements is a central priority for this Government. These agreements, as well as the principles and values underpinning them, are at the core of the Government’s approach to peace, reconciliation and prosperity on this island.

The Government advanced the view during the 2014 Stormont House talks that a Bill of Rights could set out precisely and formally the rights upon which a shared society for Northern Ireland could be based. While there was not sufficient consensus to take this forward, the final Agreement did provide that the parties commit to: “serving the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the obligations on government to promote equality and respect and to prevent discrimination; to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage shared and integrated education and housing, social inclusion, and in particular community development and the advancement of women in public life; and to promote the interests of the whole community towards the goals of reconciliation and economic renewal.”

As agreed as part of the New Decade, New Approach agreement, an Ad-Hoc Assembly Committee has been established, and the Committee published its research paper on the “Key Issues for a Bill of Rights” in March 2020, and launched a public consultation in May.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) was established as a result of the Good Friday Agreement. It is part of a wider package of safeguards to ensure that every citizen in Northern Ireland is guaranteed equal status and equal protection under law. In February 2021, the NIHRC produced a response to the public consultation of the Ad-Hoc Committee, which emphasises that there is a need to harmonise the European Convention on Human Rights, as domesticated through the Human Rights Act, and any proposed Bill of Rights for NI to ensure a complementary interpretation about the meaning and scope of human rights.

At present, the Ad-Hoc Assembly Committee has concluded holding formal evidence gathering sessions on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The next step, as agreed as part of the New Decade, New Approach Agreement, is for the First and deputy First Ministers to jointly appoint a Panel of five experts to assist the Committee in preparing its report.

As outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to working in support of the full implementation of the NDNA.

An NDNA Implementation Review Meeting is planned for the period ahead, which provides for an opportunity to discuss progress made to date as well as outstanding commitments.