Implications for the Protection of Human Rights in a United Ireland

Abstract:This paper first sets out how human rights are currently protected in Northern Ireland and then examines how they are protected in Ireland. For each jurisdiction it explains to what extent the law-makers are obliged to comply with certain human rights standards, in particular those set by the nations' constitutions and the European Convention on Human Rights. It also surveys how each jurisdiction is tied into other international human rights monitoring systems. The paper suggests how the unification of Ireland could change the way in which the human rights of people living in Northern Ireland are protected, while pointing out that much depends on the terms on which unification takes place. The guiding principle for the governments of Ireland and the UK should be that there is no regression in the degree of protection currently afforded.