Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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371. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the Government is on track to meet the Programme for Government deadline for the ratification and implementation of the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture within 18 months of the formation of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7120/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, Ireland signed the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) but has yet to ratify this treaty.

Ireland has, of course, already signed and ratified the Convention itself. The Protocol provides for the establishment of bodies known as National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) which would inspect facilities where people can be held involuntarily.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ratify OPCAT and my Department is leading on the development of the legislation needed to facilitate the introduction of a multiple institution NPM model in this State which will allow for the ratification of OPCAT.

Whilst meeting the timeline in the Programme for Government to allow for the ratification of OPCAT has proved challenging due to the complexities of this legislation and its cross-departmental nature, I am pleased to advise that the General Scheme of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill is currently being drafted and I expect to be in a position to submit it to Government in the first quarter of this year. If approved, it will then be referred for drafting in the normal course.