Tanaiste optimistic President will get UN post

THE Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, has expressed optimism that the President. Mrs Robinson will be the next UN Human Rights Commissioner, and has said the cause would be "very well served" by her.

At the inauguration of a new human rights committee in Dublin yesterday, the Tanaiste said he had been very encouraged" by the international reaction to the campaign conducted in support of Mrs Robinson's candidacy.

The human rights committee was promised in a White Paper on Foreign Policy published during the Tanaiste's term in office, after a series of seminars throughout the State. The committee is a joint Department of Foreign Affairs/ Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) body. It is intended to provide a framework for a regular exchange of views between the Department and the NGO community on human rights aspects of foreign policy.

The intention is to build on, rather than replace, the extensive network of informal contacts between Iveagh House and NGOs. The committee marks "an important new development in terms of the role of human rights in Irish foreign policy", Mr Spring said yesterday at the first meeting, which was also attended by the outgoing Minister of State, Ms Joan Burton.

The committee will be chaired by Mr Timothy O'Connor, head of the human rights unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs. In addition to NGOs, the committee includes several experts in the field. One seat is being reserved for solidarity groups; it will be filled on a rotational basis.

The NGO/expert members are the Rev Michael Begg, Christian Aid; Ms Mary Lawlor, Amnesty International's Irish section; Prof William Duncan, Professor of Law and Jurisprudence, Trinity College Dublin; Dr Gerard Quinn, Law Reform Commission; Ms Karen Kenny, independent consultant; Ms Niamh Reilly, independent consultant; Ms Maura Leen, Trocaire; Ms Maura Quinn, Irish national committee for UNICEF; Mr Jerome Connolly, Irish Commission for Justice and Peace; Ms Neva Khan, GOAL; Ms Mary McEvoy, Banulacht; Mr Howard Dalzell, Concern Worldwide; Mr Michael Farrell Irish Council for Civil Liberties; Ms Mary van Liesbout, Oxfam in Ireland; and Mr Kevin Kelly, Dochas.

The committee intends to meet at least three times a year.