UNITED NATIONS, July 17 (LSN.ca) - The United Nations Human Rights Committee took up its consideration of a second periodic report of Ireland Friday, with government officials answering to UN demands for abortion and homosexuality. Michael McDowell, Attorney-General of Ireland, presented the report for his country.
During the session, one UN “expert” asked if abortion could be permitted. The delegation replied that Irish laws still did not permit abortion in cases of rape and prohibited abortion for purposes of family planning. Answering another question from the UN committee the Irish delegation responded that “Irish law had never prohibited consensual sexual acts between adult females [but] since 1993, consensual sexual acts between adult males were legal so long as neither party was mentally impaired.”
See the UN documents on Ireland’s report at: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/20000714.hrct572.doc.html http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/20000714.hrct573.doc.html