The Gazette 1972

Human Rights Pact as Irish Bill of Rights Mr. Sean MacBride, S.C., suggested last night that the European Convention on Human Rights and the machi- nery it provides should be used to safeguard the mino- rity rights in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. After indicting both parts of the country for having "a shocking record of both ignorance and lack of initi- ative in the field of human rights", he said that in any settlement of the present Anglo-Irish conflict there would have to be provision for the protection of the minorities we had. Speaking on "The Rights of Man", he told a meeting of Tuairim in Cork : "On the one view, it may be the nationalist minority in the North or on another view, it may be the Unionist or Protestant minority in a united Ireland" that will have to be protected. "Whatever settlement we have," he said, "there will be a substantial minority; it will be necessary to give constitutional safeguards for this minority in the nature of a Bill of Rights. The European Convention as a Bill of Rights "We have, in the European Convention, a ready- made Bill of Rights which should apply to the whole of Ireland. It already does apply, in name at least. Why not, by a solemn declaration make its provision enforce- able by the Courts in Ireland and provide for a right of appeal to the European Commission and Court of Human Rights? We have a ready-made instrument and machinery there. Why not examine now the man- ner in which it could serve to protect minority rights in Ireland? As it stands, the Convention and its organs can be used. "If necessary a simple Covenant could given the Commission and Court of Human Rights special func- tions in regard to minority rights in Ireland." We had a shocking record of both ignorance and lack of initiative in the field of human rights. This applied to all our administrations, North and South. The periods since 1922 during which we have not had political internment or Special Courts in the North or

the South had been very few and far between. "I often wonder whether much of the violence from which we suffer, does not stem, at least in part, from the disregard of our Governments for the protection of human rights and from the apparent degradation of political standards, often in high places," Mr. MacBride said. He described the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 as one of the most important landmarks in the history of mankind, more important even than the Magna Carta, because it was universally accepted and because it was much more detailed and compre- hensive than the earlier declarations of human liberty. Convention not ratified At the United Nations, our country had voted for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination. But for some unknown and unstated reason, our Govern- ment had failed to ratify any of these three Conventions. "This is particularly reactionery in the case of the Convention on Racialism which has been ratified by the Holy See and by Great Britain," he said. Britain's ratification is in the name of Northern Ireland also; so we have a situation in which racial discriminaion is outlawed under international law in Britain and Northern Ireland, but not in the Republic. This is harmful to Ireland internationally." Neither of the two Human Rights Covenants had been ratified by either Ireland or Great Britain. "Why this reticence? Is it because we do not wish to imple- ment the protection of the human rights proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," Mr. Mac- Bride asked. "Britain has signed the Human Rights convention but not ratified them. But we have not even signed them much less ratified them." Irish Times (20th September 1972)

Solicitors' Golfing Society Autumn Outing (Mullingar, 30/9/1972)

Runner-up, W. A. Tormey (14), 2 down. First nine, A. O'Carroll (4), all square. Second nine, James Kelly (10), all square—last six. Competitors from more than Thirty Miles Prize Winner, Noel Tanham (13), 2 down. Best Score by Lot Winner, E. J. Margetson (14), 4 down.

Captain's (T. D. Shaw) Prize Winner, B. Kirby (14), 5 up. Runner-up, G. Walsh (13), all square. St. Patrick's Plate (Handicap 12 and Over) Winner, B. G. Donnelly (9), 1 up. Runner-up, J. M. O'Donnell (10), 2 down. Veteran's Cup Winner, S. N. Mahon (17), 1 down.

Appointments Mr. Michael O'Beirne, Deputy Solicitor, Irish Land Commission, has been appointed Solicitor to the Irish Land Commission in succession to Mr. James Geary, who has retired.

Mr. Liam Lysaght, Deputy Chief State Solicitor, has been appointed Chief State Solicitor in succession to Mr. Donough O'Donovan, who has retired.

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