HL Deb 27 March 2002 vol 633 cc48-9WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have made representations to the Government of the Irish Republic concerning the implementation of the part of the Belfast agreement of 1998 which refers to comparable steps by the Irish Government; and, if not, why not. [HL3293]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Her Majesty's Government have regular discussions with the Government of Ireland on all aspects, UK and Irish, of implementation of the Belfast agreement. The Government of Ireland have amended the Irish Constitution to remove the former Articles 2 and 3 relating to its former claim to Northern Ireland; it has established a Human Rights Commission; it has ratified the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities; and is taking measures to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into its domestic law.