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THE ADVICE OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON A CHARTER OF RIGHTS FOR THE ISLAND OF IRELAND

The Joint Committee of the Northern Ireland Human Righ ts Commission and the Irish Human Rights Commission was mandated by the Belfast (Good Fr iday) Agreement 1998 to consider the po ssibility of ‘A Charter of Rights for the island of Ireland’. The advice contained in this document represents the response from the two Commissions in this regard. 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 (Good Friday) and St Andrews Agreements in seek ing to provide an equivalent level of protection for fundamental rights both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The Joint Committee was not directed as to the forum in which this advice should be presented but we have concluded that the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Ireland ar e best placed to receive the advice insofar as they are the State Parties to the Belfast Agreemen t and responsible for human rights protection in either jurisdiction. The Speaker of the Northern Ireland A ssembly and the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann will forward this document to the political partie s in their respective bodies . Both Commissions will be pleased to assist that process wherever necessary.