Government Vote of Confidence in Human Rights Commission

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 5th May 2004

Alliance Party Justice and Human Rights Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has welcomed the Government's move to appoint new human rights commissioners, and stated that this will allow the Commission to further its work on the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland

Dr Farry said:

"This announcement from John Spellar is a vote of confidence in the Human Rights Commission. It is regrettable that such a long period has passed without the Government intervening to properly bolster the Commission.

"It was always clear that the current Chief Commissioner, Brice Dickson, and other commissioners would be stepping down next February. What Alliance and others were keen to avoid is a complete lack of continuity between the current Commission and the next.

"The current Commission is not being wound up, rather it is going to be restored to its full complement of commissioners by the autumn.

"I trust that the Commission has been placed on a firm footing to further advance its important work on the Bill of Rights over the months to come.

"Hopefully, those that have actively undermining the Commission, and setting back the cause of human rights, will now desist."