Leading academic “surprised and disappointed” by Bruton’s human rights stance

A leading human rights academic has said he is “surprised and disappointed” by Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton’s assertion that trade missions are “not the place to raise human rights”.

Irish Centre for Human Rights director Prof Michael O’Flaherty has also said he hopes the State will take a “compassionate” approach to the jailing of 79-year-old peace activist and artist Margaretta D’Arcy over her protests against US military use of Shannon airport.

Prof O'Flaherty, who co-ordinated submissions to Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore for a new "vision document" for human rights in Irish foreign policy published today, said that it was incorrect for Mr Bruton to suggest that engaging in human rights diplomacy could jeopardise trade.

In an opinion article in yesterday's Irish Times, Mr Bruton defended his decision not to raise concerns about human rights on his recent trade mission to the Persian Gulf states with Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Such a "token gesture" would undermine the crucial objective of trade missions while "achieving nothing on human rights", Mr Bruton said.

'Diplomatic toolbox'
Prof O'Flaherty said that the experience of other countries shows that states can engage in human rights without jeopardising trade, and there were "many tools in the diplomatic toolbox to this end".

Mr Gilmore had declared last November that human rights must be "integral" to foreign policy, and it was in response to this that 23 organisations,including the Irish Centre for Human Rights based at NUI Galway (NUIG), had prepared a common vision, he said.

The “Galway Platform on Human Rights in Irish Foreign policy” says Ireland should consider adopting a national human rights strategy.

It says that the merged Human Rights and Equality Commission must meet the "A status" compliance requirements of the 1991 Paris Principles, adopted by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Commission.

Protocols and conventions
It says that Ireland should work towards ratifying and implementing nine international conventions and protocols which it is not yet party to, and the Government should intensify efforts towards adopting a Northern Ireland-style bill of rights and an island of Ireland charter of human rights.

Anomalies, such as the recent ruling that unmarried parents in Northern Ireland can be permitted to apply for adoption of children, must be addressed, Prof O’Flaherty noted.

The document states that “nothing in Ireland’s membership of the EU should be permitted to impede the exercise of its individual responsibility for the protection of human rights”.

Prof O’Flaherty said that while he was not familiar with the details of the court judgment which had resulted in the three-month detention of peace activist Margaretta D’Arcy, he hoped that a “compassionate approach” would be taken towards someone who was “elderly and unwell”.

The Galway Platform has been signed by organisations including Amnesty International Ireland, the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights at University College Cork, NUIG Centre for Disability Law and Policy, Children's Rights Alliance, Front Line Defenders and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.