Welcome message from Ambassador Caitríona Doyle

Welcome to the website of the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg. I hope you will find the information contained here useful and interesting.

The Council of Europe was established in 1949, and Ireland was one of the original ten founding members, along with Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. It now has 47 Member States, including all Member States of the Europe Union, with 820 million citizens. The core mission of the Council of Europe is to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. These values are also central to Ireland’s foreign policy goals, and the organisation is an important platform for Ireland, in its international goal to create a Just World and the strengthening of the international human rights framework.

The Council of Europe works through a Convention-based system, setting legal standards in a range of areas to assist Member States in the protection of fundamental freedoms. The best-known Convention is the European Convention on Human Rights, which is implemented through the European Court of Human Rights, but other instruments include the European Social Charter, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Group of States Against Corruption and the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.

The organisation consists of a range of different bodies, including the Court, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The main decision-making body is the Committee of Ministers, where representatives of all 47 governments join together to take decisions aimed at furthering the mission of the organisation. The Representation works primarily within the Committee of Ministers, but engages with all organs of the Council, to ensure that Ireland’s national interests are effectively promoted. It is staffed by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Justice.

Teachtaireacht fáilte ón Ambasadóir Caitríona Doyle

Fáilte chuig suíomh gréasáin Bhuanionadaíocht na hÉireann chuig Comhairle na hEorpa, in Strasbourg. Tá súil agam go gcuirfidh tú spéis san eolas atá anseo agus go mbainfidh tú leas as.

Bunaíodh Comhairle na hEorpa i 1949, agus bhí Éire ar cheann de na deich mbunaitheoir bunaidh, mar aon leis an mBeilg, an Danmhairg, an Fhrainc, an Iodáil, Lucsamburg, an Ísiltír, an Iorua, an tSualainn agus an Ríocht Aontaithe. Tá 47 mBallstát i gComhairle na hEorpa anois, lena n-áirítear gach Ballstát de chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh, 820 milliún saoránach san iomlán. Is é an misean lárnach atá ag Comhairle na hEorpa cearta an duine, an daonlathas agus an smacht reachta a chur chun cinn san Eoraip. Gné lárnach is ea na luachanna sin freisin i dtaobh bheartas eachtrach na hÉireann, agus ardán tábhachtach d'Éirinn is ea an eagraíocht, i dtaca leis an sprioc idirnáisiúnta atá aige Domhan Cóir a chruthú agus an creat idirnáisiúnta um chearta an duine a neartú.

Bíonn Comhairle na hEorpa ag feidhmiú trí chóras atá bunaithe ar Choinbhinsiúin, agus leagann sí síos caighdeáin dhlíthiúla i réimsí éagsúla chun cabhrú le Ballstáit maidir leis na saoirsí bunúsacha a chosaint. Is é an Coinbhinsiún is fearr aithne an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine, a chuirtear chun feidhme trí mheán na Cúirte Eorpaí um Chearta an Duine, ach áirítear le hionstraimí eile Cairt Shóisialta na hEorpa, an Coiste Eorpach um Chosc ar Chéastóireacht, an Creat-Choinbhinsiún um Chosaint na Mionlach Náisiúnta, an Grúpa Stát in aghaidh an Éillithe agus an Coinbhinsiún maidir le Gníomhaíocht in aghaidh Gáinneáil ar Dhaoine.

Cuimsítear raon comhlachtaí éagsúla san eagraíocht, lena n-áirítear an Chúirt, Tionól Parlaiminteach Chomhairle na hEorpa, Oifig an Choimisinéara um Chearta an Duine agus an Chomhdháil Údarás Áitiúil agus Réigiúnach. Is é Coiste na nAirí an príomhchomhlacht cinnteoireachta, áit a dtagann ionadaithe ó gach ceann de na 47 rialtas le chéile chun cinntí a ghlacadh d'fhonn misean na heagraíochta a chur chun cinn. Is laistigh de Choiste na nAirí a bhíonn an Ionadaíocht ag obair den chuid is mó, ach téann sí i mbun rannpháirtíochta le gach rannóg feidhme de chuid na Comhairle, d'fhonn a chinntiú go bhfuil leasanna náisiúnta na hÉireann á gcur chun cinn ar shlí éifeachtach. Cuimsíonn foireann na hIonadaíochta oifigigh ón Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus ón Roinn Dlí agus Cirt.