Madam, - The Charities Bill, on which the Seanad votes today, describes in some detail what is meant by charities which work on "any other purpose that is of benefit to the community". We are gravely concerned that the Bill does not include the promotion and protection of human rights as one of these purposes. beneficial to the community.
It is beyond our understanding that a country with such a deeply ingrained tradition and understanding of the importance of human rights at home and abroad should not automatically seek to include protecting human rights as a purpose beneficial to the community. We urge senators to rectify this.
Human rights are the framework through which society seeks to develop and the yardstick through which it validates itself. This was tacitly acknowledged by Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan in his Budget speech when he cited as one of the three aims of the budget "to protect those who are most vulnerable in our country". Just three weeks ago, at the launch of "Beyond the Moment", the Taoiseach said: "This photo should serve to remind us all that we can never become complacent about the role Ireland must play through the United Nations and the European Union in resolving conflicts, preventing international crises and ending abuses of human rights, especially genocide."
We welcome the Bill before the Seanad as it will create a regulatory framework within which charities will operate. The definition of what is a charity is to remain relatively unchanged from the current way in which charities are described apart from describing in some detail what is meant by charities which work on purposes which are beneficial to the community. Among such purposes are the advancement of community welfare and development, the promotion racial and religious harmony, the protection of animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
The omission of the promotion and protection of human rights may have serious consequences for many organisations that strive to promote human rights both in Ireland and abroad. Any organisation that works to protect human rights will have to prove on a case by case basis that it is doing work that is "beneficial to the community" instead of this work being recognised as in itself beneficial. We urge senators to insist that the promotion and protection of human rights is included as part of the Bill. - Yours, etc,
MARY LAWLOR,
Director, Frontline,
the International Foundation
for the Protection of
Human Rights Defenders,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin;
NOELINE BLACKWELL,
Director General, FLAC,
The Free Legal Advice
Centres Ltd,
Dublin 1.