Don’t Politicise Bill of Rights Agenda - Kennedy
Speaking following today’s Assembly debate on the Bill of Rights Forum, Ulster Unionist Party Chair of the Committee of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister has urged that the Bill of Rights process firmly focus on the remit given to it by the Belfast Agreement and not expand into a highly politicised agenda.
Mr. Kennedy said, “Today’s debate on the Bill of Rights Forum demonstrated the urgent need for the Forum to focus on the remit and mandate given to it by the Belfast Agreement. The Agreement stated that rights supplementary to the European Convention of Human Rights were to be considered in the context of ‘the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland’. The Bill of Rights process, however, has expanded to include an understanding of rights far beyond that indicated in the Agreement and far beyond the understanding of a bill of rights in the United Kingdom constitution.
“The Bill of Rights issue is a vital debate for politics and political institutions in Northern Ireland. It reflects debates in other democracies, particularly those shaped by the British tradition of parliamentary government – how to strike the right balance between the powers of a parliament and the powers of the courts; and how to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual while also recognizing our responsibilities in society. The debate is not about the personalities or backgrounds of those who sit on the Forum. It is much more important than this. It is a debate about how we are to be governed – through elected representatives in a democratic Assembly or through the courts.
“The Ulster Unionist Party is participating in the Forum in order to ensure that a clear, robust voice is heard arguing for the Bill of Rights process to adhere to the remit given by the Belfast Agreement. A failure to do so will result in the absence of cross-party support for any Bill of Rights proposals”.