A UN convention agreed 35 years ago on the elimination of racial discrimination is only now to be brought into force in Ireland. More than 75 per cent of the other UN member-states are already signed up to it.
At yesterday's Cabinet meeting it was decided the Government would take the steps necessary to ratify the UN convention on the elimination of all forms of racial abuse. According to Department of Justice sources, a motion will be put before the Dail and Seanad next week and the process should be complete before the end of the year.
The sources said it was not ratified previously because the necessary legislation on racial discrimination was not in place. The recent introduction of the Employment Equality Act and the Equal Status Act meant the framework was now in place for its introduction.
A commitment had been given in the Programme for Government that the convention would be signed, they said.
Both acts contain a broad definition of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.