Comments on: Human rights for everyone? http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/ Conversation, politics and stray insights Sun, 27 May 2012 00:18:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: fair_deal http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89222 fair_deal Thu, 07 Dec 2006 21:50:00 +0000 #comment-89222 Wild Turkey "Is the briefing paper referred to at 6.1 in the public domain? If not, why not?" I cannot find such a document on the website. "Is the lack of an informed and considered NIHRC position on this potentially serious breach of everyones human rights (privacy?) a function of intense navel gazing, ineptitude. Or maybe a combination of both?" A question worht asking but somehow doubt the NIHRC will engage with it. Animus 1. The example of the NIHRC and the Charities submission was to show they can be proactive when they want to be not that what the submission they submitted was flawed. 2. Also as the new charity laws here were consulted about they was ample opportunity to raise the need for its inclusion here. Inclusion in England would indeed help the case however it could still have been achieved. 3. On an important issue of ID cards they don't bother themselves at all even blame the Home Office. However, something that benefits the human rights industry they manage to be proactive. I notice you focus on a minor detail but don't deal with the substantive issue. Would you care to comment on the NIHRC's failure to do anything on ID cards? As for "having it in", they are a public body and are deserving of scrutiny as anyone else. If their actions don't match what they say that is their problem. Wild Turkey

“Is the briefing paper referred to at 6.1 in the public domain? If not, why not?”

I cannot find such a document on the website.

“Is the lack of an informed and considered NIHRC position on this potentially serious breach of everyones human rights (privacy?) a function of intense navel gazing, ineptitude. Or maybe a combination of both?”

A question worht asking but somehow doubt the NIHRC will engage with it.

Animus

1. The example of the NIHRC and the Charities submission was to show they can be proactive when they want to be not that what the submission they submitted was flawed.
2. Also as the new charity laws here were consulted about they was ample opportunity to raise the need for its inclusion here. Inclusion in England would indeed help the case however it could still have been achieved.
3. On an important issue of ID cards they don’t bother themselves at all even blame the Home Office. However, something that benefits the human rights industry they manage to be proactive.

I notice you focus on a minor detail but don’t deal with the substantive issue. Would you care to comment on the NIHRC’s failure to do anything on ID cards?

As for “having it in”, they are a public body and are deserving of scrutiny as anyone else. If their actions don’t match what they say that is their problem.

]]> By: Quaysider http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89182 Quaysider Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:38:24 +0000 #comment-89182 Seats on the commission aren't cheap - we're paying these people to manage our 'human rights culture' and they consistently chicken out of one of the most important human rights issues in Northern Ireland and arguably the only one unique to Northern Ireland. If they won't take on issues too divisive for politicians to handle then what's the point of them? Seats on the commission aren’t cheap – we’re paying these people to manage our ‘human rights culture’ and they consistently chicken out of one of the most important human rights issues in Northern Ireland and arguably the only one unique to Northern Ireland. If they won’t take on issues too divisive for politicians to handle then what’s the point of them?

]]> By: Animus http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89177 Animus Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:27:05 +0000 #comment-89177 Quaysider - Monica McWilliams is not acting alone - the Commission decides its priorities as a group. Abortion is a divisive issue which some Commissioners do not support in any case, so negotiating is not simply a matter of majority rule. It's so easy to criticise from the cheap seats isn't it? Quaysider – Monica McWilliams is not acting alone – the Commission decides its priorities as a group. Abortion is a divisive issue which some Commissioners do not support in any case, so negotiating is not simply a matter of majority rule.

It’s so easy to criticise from the cheap seats isn’t it?

]]> By: Animus http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89171 Animus Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:11:59 +0000 #comment-89171 On the charities consultation - as I am sure will now be aware, there was recently new legislation on charity law in Northern Ireland. A significant bit was to recognise new charitable objects, one of which is human rights. The only way that could be put into the NI legislation was to guarantee it under the English legislation first, since we took some read across on this matter. Obviously the Commission took the long view and showed foresight in responding to the English consultation. I know you have it in for the Commission Fair Deal, but at least for this case, you have shown a less than full grasp of the facts. Wild Turkey Yes responsibility lies ultimately with Commissioners, rather than staff. On the charities consultation – as I am sure will now be aware, there was recently new legislation on charity law in Northern Ireland. A significant bit was to recognise new charitable objects, one of which is human rights. The only way that could be put into the NI legislation was to guarantee it under the English legislation first, since we took some read across on this matter. Obviously the Commission took the long view and showed foresight in responding to the English consultation.

I know you have it in for the Commission Fair Deal, but at least for this case, you have shown a less than full grasp of the facts.

Wild Turkey
Yes responsibility lies ultimately with Commissioners, rather than staff.

]]> By: Quaysider http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89170 Quaysider Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:04:30 +0000 #comment-89170 This is typical of the NIHRC, especially under McWilliams. She never does anything that might seriously upset the British government or upset the carefully laid plans of the NIO. The fact that she's never said ANYTHING about abortion is just amazing - keeping her trap shut over Tony's ID-card pet project is just par for the course. This is typical of the NIHRC, especially under McWilliams. She never does anything that might seriously upset the British government or upset the carefully laid plans of the NIO. The fact that she’s never said ANYTHING about abortion is just amazing – keeping her trap shut over Tony’s ID-card pet project is just par for the course.

]]> By: wild turkey http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89165 wild turkey Thu, 07 Dec 2006 17:53:05 +0000 #comment-89165 6.1 The Commission has not established a final position on Government proposals for the introduction of biometric identity cards and an accompanying national identity register. A briefing paper was considered and further information will be discussed in due course. 6.2 It was agreed that the Commission needs to develop an initial view prior to that discussion. This policy perspective will be developed further and discussed at the next Commission meeting. Hmm, FD a few questions does anyone know what,if anything, was the initial view NIHRC developed on this issue? Is the briefing paper referred to at 6.1 in the public domain? If not, why not? Is the lack of an informed and considered NIHRC position on this potentially serious breach of everyones human rights (privacy?) a function of intense navel gazing, ineptitude. Or maybe a combination of both? having visited the NIHRC website, I have searched in vain for the current corporate/strategic plan. Does anyone know if the current corporate plan, assuming its existence and approval by NIO, makes any mention of the ID card scheme? By the way, I am assuming that the buck stops with Commissioners rather than staff on this issue. Would I be correct? 6.1 The Commission has not established a final position on Government proposals for the introduction of biometric identity cards and an accompanying national identity register. A briefing paper was considered and further information will be discussed in due course.

6.2 It was agreed that the Commission needs to develop an initial view prior to that discussion. This policy perspective will be developed further and discussed at the next Commission meeting.

Hmm, FD a few questions
does anyone know what,if anything, was the initial view NIHRC developed on this issue?

Is the briefing paper referred to at 6.1 in the public domain? If not, why not?

Is the lack of an informed and considered NIHRC position on this potentially serious breach of everyones human rights (privacy?) a function of intense navel gazing, ineptitude. Or maybe a combination of both?

having visited the NIHRC website, I have searched in vain for the current corporate/strategic plan. Does anyone know if the current corporate plan, assuming its existence and approval by NIO, makes any mention of the ID card scheme?

By the way, I am assuming that the buck stops with Commissioners rather than staff on this issue. Would I be correct?

]]> By: DK http://sluggerotoole.com/2006/12/07/human-rights-for-everyone/comment-page-1/#comment-89157 DK Thu, 07 Dec 2006 17:31:14 +0000 #comment-89157 Human rights tend to impact most strongly on minorities, hence why there are 3 reports on prisoners. It might be more pertinent that there aren't any submissions about the rights of the rapidly increasing immigrant communities in NI, especially in relation to employment. Human rights tend to impact most strongly on minorities, hence why there are 3 reports on prisoners. It might be more pertinent that there aren’t any submissions about the rights of the rapidly increasing immigrant communities in NI, especially in relation to employment.

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