Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress that has been made to date in introducing a bill of rights in Northern Ireland; if there have been any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the political parties in Northern Ireland on this long-outstanding issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34641/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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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.

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.

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.

However, as an Executive has not yet been formed following the Assembly elections, this step cannot be taken at present. The progression of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland is one of the reasons that it is essential that the parties, and those representatives that have been elected by the people, to come together to establish an Executive. The Irish Government will continue to work to support this vital goal.

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

Last week, the British Government published legislation to introduce a UK Bill of Rights, which if enacted would repeal and replace the Human Rights Act. The Bill requires serious and detailed consideration now. However, it is important, at this early stage, to be clear that the Good Friday Agreement cites the European Convention on Human Rights as a vital safeguard that ensures the operation of the Agreement's institutions and the protection of Northern Ireland’s communities.

It is vital that all the people of Northern Ireland can have full confidence in the protection of their human rights, in order to continue to build deeper reconciliation and lasting peace.