HUMAN RIGHTS institutions in Dublin and Belfast have called on the Irish and British governments to consider a single human rights charter for the island of Ireland.
Prof Monica McWilliams, chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and Dr Maurice Manning, president of the Irish Human Rights Commission, have forwarded their position paper on the issue to the Ceann Comhairle and the Speaker of the Stormont Assembly for further consideration by the parties in both jurisdictions.
In a joint statement issued yesterday, the heads of the commissions said: “We have concluded that a charter is justifiable on the basis that there is a commonality of rights protected in both jurisdictions and that an equivalence of human rights protections, if achieved, could assist in underpinning the peace process in both jurisdictions. A charter could thus build upon the commitments in the Belfast and St Andrews Agreements in seeking to provide an equivalent level of protection for fundamental rights both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said the joint committee involving the two rights commissions was mandated to carry out its work under the Belfast Agreement.
“The advice of the joint committee should now be given serious consideration by all the political parties on the island of Ireland and will be important in bringing the process of developing a charter of rights forwards,” Mr Gilmore said.
“I want to thank the joint committee for their valuable work on foot of this mandate and commend them for their commitment to furthering progress towards a charter of rights for the island of Ireland.”