Launch of Human Rights Commission Annual Report

30 Jul 2011

The IHRC annual report was launched this week by Minister Alan Shatter. The Minister indicated that he is to bring in legislation that will provide for an enhanced role for the Irish Human Rights Commission. He added that the Government was "reviewing the architecture of our human rights infrastructure to ensure that resources are used efficiently. "It is my intention to facilitate the commission playing an enhanced role." Among the reforms mentioned was that the Commission would be reporingt to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights.

Reference was also made to the Comptroller and Auditor Generalwho have acknowledged the difficulties caused by the cuts in the IHRC funding.

The president of the commission, Dr Maurice Manning, said measures should be introduced to underpin its independence and autonomy. He outlined six principles that should inform any legislation. These were:

    
  • independence, so that the commission could provide strong independent oversight of all State institutions;
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  • fidelity to the architecture established by the Belfast Agreement, which set up the commission;
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  • abiding by the standards of the UN Paris Principles on human rights institutions;
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  • the enhancement of the perception of its independence by reporting directly to the Oireachtas rather than a Government department;
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  • a transparent and credible appointment process for commissioners,
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  • and adequate resources to carry out its mandate.

Dr Manning pointed out that the commission had lost more than half its staff and 40 per cent of its budget since 2008. The chief executive of the commission, Eamonn Mac Aodha, appealed for the establishment of a mechanism by which the Cabinet would ensure that all recommendations from the commission were considered by the relevant Government department or agency.