GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS to merge a number of statutory human rights bodies should not result in reduced financial support for the protection of human rights in Ireland, Amnesty International has warned.
Earlier this week it emerged that the Government is considering plans to merge the Equality Authority, the Irish Human Rights Commission and the office of the Data Protection Commissioner into a single agency. Director of Amnesty International's Irish section Colm O'Gorman said it had learned that the proposed merger would also include the Equality Tribunal and the National Disability Authority.
"Amnesty International would support any measure that strengthens agencies promoting and protecting human rights, but any single agency such as is being suggested must be independent and properly funded," he said.
"That agency would require as broad a mandate as possible, clearly set out in legislation. Also, the existing agencies must not be hampered in continuing to carry out their duties during any changes.
"Critically," Mr O'Gorman continued, "this must not turn into a cost-cutting exercise where the Government is using the new economic climate as an excuse to cut financial support for the protection of human rights in Ireland."
He said the Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the Irish Human Rights Commission had to cope with "consistent under-funding" which had had a significant impact on their work.