merrion street

I welcome the publication today of the advice on a Charter of Rights for the island of Ireland prepared by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Irish Human Rights Commission.

The Joint Committee of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Irish Human Rights Commission (the Joint Committee) was mandated by the Good Friday Agreement 1998 to "consider, among others matters, the possibility of establishing a charter, open to signature by all democratic political parties, reflecting and endorsing agreed measures for the protection of the fundamental rights of everyone living in the island of Ireland."

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.

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.