The draft Programme for Government agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party on the 15th of June contains a promising proposal to ratify the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. Within the ‘Building Stronger and Safer Communities’ mission, the programme specifies that the government will ratify and implement the OPCAT within 18 months of the formation of the government.

Ireland signed the OPCAT in 2007, but it has yet to be formally ratified. Although the State has given various commitments to ratify the OPCAT in the past, never has a specific timeframe been put on its ratification and implementation. This is a welcome commitment by the prospective coalition parties which will signal to both the citizens of Ireland and to the international stage that Ireland is serious about torture prevention.

Read the full draft Programme for Government here.