The Government is to take an initiative in an attempt to have capital punishment abolished worldwide. Mr Tom Kitt, Minister of State, made the announcement at the conclusion of a debate generated by the execution in the US of convicted murderer Karla Faye Tucker.
Responding to urgings from senators that Ireland initiate an international abolition campaign, Mr Kitt said a session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights was scheduled for Geneva next month.
"You can take it we will be taking a lead in advocating universal abolition of the death penalty."
But Mr Kitt, who was speaking on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, cautioned that there was a need for realism about what this State could achieve. An attempt at the UN three years ago to get a global moratorium on executions had not met with success.
Sharp criticism of the increasing execution rate in the US was voiced by a number of senators. Mr Brendan Ryan (Ind) criticised the practice of inviting the relatives of murder victims to view this "revolting spectacle". The trend in the United States was leading to a return to public - or perhaps televised - executions, he believed.
Mr Shane Ross (Ind) said that US ambassador Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith should be asked to come before the House to explain how the "most civilised country in the world" could justify the judicial murder of its citizens.
The House Leader, Mr Donie Cassidy, said that as a country with close ties to the US, we would continue to impress on that country that this form of punishment was no longer acceptable.
Mr David Norris (Ind) suggested that a transcript of the proceedings be sent to the American embassy to demonstrate the depth of members' feelings.