Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

164. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the legislative requirements that are required in relation to the Second Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; if she has an estimated timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26822/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government continues to be strongly committed to the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A number of significant pieces of legislation had to be passed to ensure that Ireland is in compliance with the obligations of the Optional Protocol. The enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 and the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 constituted key steps on the pathway to the ratification of the Optional Protocol. 

The Office of the Attorney General has advised that a small number of additional legislative measures may be required to ensure that the State is compliant with all of the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements under Article 3.1 of the Protocol. My officials are considering the advices and, if further legislative amendments are considered necessary, it is my intention to incorporate those provisions into legislative proposals to be published in the coming months.