Council of Europe Elects Irishman To Top Social Rights Body

The Committee of Minister of the Council of Europe today elected Professor Gerard Quinn of the National University of Ireland, Galway to the premier body charged with implementing social rights in Europe.

Professor Quinn is currently Professor of Law at NUI, Galway. He has had broad experience in Irish and European human rights law. He is a member of the Commission of Human Rights and is currently working with the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights and disability.

Welcoming the election of Professor Quinn, Tom Kitt, T.D., Minister for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs said "I warmly congratulate Professor Quinn on his election. Ireland, who has not had a member on the Committee since 1972, will make a significant contribution during Professor Quinn's six year term of office. Following on from Ireland's ratification last year of the Revised Social Charter and Protocol on Collective Complaints, this appointment is recognition by the Council of Europe of Ireland's commitment both to social rights and to the Social Charter"

The European Committee of Social Rights was established under Article 25 of the European Social Charter. Its function is to assess the compliance of contracting parties with their obligation under the Charter, based on national reports. It also supervises the collective complaints procedure under the Charter. Ireland ratified the Social Charter in 1964 and signed and ratified both the Revised Social Charter and Additional Protocol on Collective Complaints in November 2000.