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Statements by Ireland on international law
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In the absence of a treaty governing relations between two or more states on a particular topic, what is important is evidence of the existence of consensus among states as to what the law should be – in other words, state practice combined with a recognition that a certain practice is obligatory. If sufficiently widespread and consistent, such practice and consensus may constitute customary international law.
Evidence of custom may be found among the following sources:
- diplomatic correspondence
- opinions of official legal advisers
- statements by governments
- United Nations General Assembly resolutions
- comments by governments on the work of the International Law Commission
- decisions of national and international courts
However, as with all matters of evidence, the weight which can be given to a particular statement varies greatly depending on the circumstances in which it was made.
Statements made by Ireland at the United Nations in New York are published on the website of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations , on ireland.ie.
As Ireland agrees to the text of statements made by the Presidency of the European Union before they are delivered, these too may be evidence of Ireland’s position on certain legal matters.
Article 13(1) of the UN Charter provides that the General Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification. In 1947, the General Assembly established the International Law Commission (ILC) to carry out this function.
The Statute of the ILC makes a distinction between:
- progressive, meaning “the preparation of draft conventions on subjects which have not yet been regulated by international law or in regard to which the law has not yet been sufficiently developed in the practice of States”
- codification, meaning “the more precise formulation and systematisation of rules of international law in fields where there already has been extensive State practice, precedent and doctrine"
Governments play an important role at every stage of the ILC’s work of codification and progressive development of international law. Individually, they provide the ILC with information at the outset of its consideration of topics, and they also comment upon its drafts. Collectively, they may decide on the initiation or priority of the ILC’s work and they always decide upon its outcome.
The ILC presents annual reports to the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly (the Committee that deals with legal matters). As above, after the ILC has submitted its final draft on a topic to the General Assembly, the General Assembly normally requests states to comment on the draft.
Each July, the UN in Geneva organises an International Law Seminar in connection with the ILC. This is a programme for postgraduate students and professionals working in international law between the ages of 24 and 38 years of age. The course is provided for free by the UN but there is no additional funding available for flights or accommodation. Qualified candidates are expected to have a solid knowledge of international law on the basis of postgraduate studies or professional experience. Comprehensive information on the course itself and on the application process is available from the International Law Seminar website.
The text of Ireland's statements to the UN General Assembly regarding the work of the International Law Commission (ILC) are listed below.
Statement at UNGA 78, 4 October 2023 relating to ‘Protection of persons in the event of disasters’
Statement at UNGA 78, 12 October 2023 relating to ‘Crimes Against Humanity’
Statement at UNGA 78, 13 October 2023 relating to ‘Universal Jurisdiction’
Statement at UNGA 78, 20 October 2023 relating to ‘United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law’
Statement at UNGA 78, 24 October 2023 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to ‘General principles of law, Sea-level rise in relation to international law and Other Decisions and Conclusions.’
Statement at UNGA 78, 31 October 2023 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to ‘Settlement of disputes to which international organisations are parties and Prevention and repression of piracy and armed robbery at sea.’
Statement at UNGA 78, 1 November 2023 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to ‘Subsidiary means for the determination of rules of international law.’
Statement at UNGA 77, 25 October 2022 on Part IV of the ILC report relating to Peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens), Part V on the Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflict and Part X relating to Other Decisions.
Statement at UNGA 77, 28 October 2022 on Part VI of the ILC report relating to Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction and Part IX on sea-level rise in relation to international law.
Statement at UNGA 77, 2 November 2022 on Part VII of the ILC report relating to Succession of States in respect of State responsibility and Part VIII relating to General principles of law.
Statement at UNGA76, 2 November 2021 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to Succession of States in respect of State responsibility and General principles of law.
a. Statement at UNGA76, 29 October 2021 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction and Sea-level rise in relation to international law: Ireland statement (Cluster II) -- Report of the ILC on the work of its seventy-second session -- Sixth Committee (Legal) — 76th session (un.org)
b. Statement at UNGA76, 27 October 2021 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to Protection of the Atmosphere, Provisional Application of Treaties and Other Decisions Cluster-I---Statement-delivered-by-Ireland-on-the-Provisional-Application-of-Treaties.pdf (dfa.ie)
Statement at UNGA 74, 28 October 2019 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to Crimes against Humanity, Jus Cogens and Provisional Application of Treaties.
Statement at UNGA 74, 1 November 2019 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction and Sea-Level Rise in relation to international law.
Statement at UNGA 74, 5 November 2019 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to General Principles of Law.
Statement at UNGA 73, 31 October 2018 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction.
Statement at UNGA 73, 26 October 2018 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Provisional application of treaties.
Statement to UNGA 73, 23 October 2018 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to the Commoration of the ILC's 70th Anniversary, Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice, Identification of customary international law and Other decisions and conclusions of the Commission.
Statement to UNGA 72, 27 October 2017 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction.
Statement on UNGA 72, 25 October 2017 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to Crimes against Humanity, on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction and Provisional Application of Treaties.
Statement to UNGA 71, 1 November 2016 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Crimes against Humanity and Jus Cogens.
Statement to UNGA 71, 26 October 2016 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, Identification of Customary International Law, Subsequent Agreements and Subsequent Practice in relation to the Interpretation of Treaties.
Statement to UNGA 70, 10 November 2015 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of State Officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction and Provisional Application of Treaties.
Statement to UNGA 70, 6 November 2015 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Identification of Customary International Law.
Statement to UNGA 69, 3 November 2014 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to Identification of Customary International Law and Provisional Application of Treaties.
Statement to UNGA 69, 31 October 2014 on Part 2 of the ILC Report relating to Subsequent Agreements and Subsequent Practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties, Immunity of State Officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction and the Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute.
Statement to UNGA 69, 27 October 2014 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to Expulsion of Aliens, Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, Crimes Against Humanity and Jus Cogens.
Statement to UNGA 68, 4 November 2013 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, Formation of Customary International Law, Provisional Application of Treaties and Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts.
Statement to UNGA 68, 29 October 2013 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to Subsequent Agreements and Subsequent Practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties and Immunity of State Officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction.
Statement to UNGA 67, 5 November 2012 on Part 3 of the ILC Report relating to Immunity of State Officials, Provisional Application of Treaties, Formation of Customary International Law, the Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute, Treaties over Time and the Most Favoured Nation Clause.
Statement to UNGA 67, 2 November 2012 on Part 1 of the ILC Report relating to the Expulsion of Aliens, the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters and Other Decisions of the Commission.
Statement to UNGA 66, 2 November 2011 on the ILC Report in relation to Other Decisions and Conclusions of the Commission.
Statement to UNGA 66, 28 October 2011 on the ILC Report in relation to the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters.
Statement to UNGA 66, 12 October 2011 on the ILC Report in relation to the Scope and Application of the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction.
Statement to UNGA 65, 28 October 2010 on the ILC Report in relation to the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters.
Statement to UNGA 64, 30 October 2009 on the ILC Report in relation to Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters.
Statement to UNGA 64, 30 October 2009 on the ILC Report in relation to the Responsibility of International Organisations.
Statement to UNGA 62, 1 November 2007 on the ILC Report in relation to the Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute.
Statement to UNGA 62, 29 October 2007 on the ILC Report in relation to the Responsibility of International Organisations.
Statement to UNGA 61, 2006 on the ILC’s draft articles on the Responsibility of International Organisations.
Statement to UNGA 60, 2005 on the ILC Report in relation to the Responsibility of International Organisations.
The following statements were made by Ireland at various international organisations.
Statement on Future of European Court of Human Rights, Brighton, April 2012
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Address by President McAleese to International Court of Justice, May 2011
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Statement on Future of European Court of Human Rights, Izmir, April 2011
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Statement to Review Conference of Rome Statute of International Criminal Court, 2010
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Statement on Future of European Court of Human Rights, Interlaken, February 2010
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Statement to 30th International Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent, November 2007
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The following statements on matters of international law were made by Ireland at the UN General Assembly.
Statement at UNGA 78, 30 October 2023
on Report of the ICC
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Statement at UNGA 78, 26 October 2023
on Report of the ICJ
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- Statement at UNGA 78, 20 October 2023 on United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
- Statement at UNGA 78, 13 October 2023 on Universal Jurisdiction
- Statement at UNGA 78, 12 October 2023 on Crimes Against Humanity
Statement at UNGA 78, 4 October 2023
relating to Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters
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Statement at UNGA 77, 30 October 2022
on Report of the ICC
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Statement at UNGA 77, 27 October 2022
on Report of the ICJ
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- Statement at UNGA 77, 20 October 2022 on United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
Statement at UNGA 77, 17 October 2022
on the Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Armed Conflicts
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- Statement at UNGA 77, 10 October 2022 on Crimes Against Humanity
Statement at UNGA 76, 10 November 2021
on Report of the ICC
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Statement at UNGA76, 15 October 2021 - Crimes against Humanity
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Statement at UNGA76, 21 October 2021 - United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
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Statement at UNGA 75, 4 November 2019
on Report of the ICC
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Statement at UNGA 74, 29 October 2018
on Report of the ICC
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- Statement at UNGA 69, 17 October 2014 on United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
- Statement at UNGA 68, 16 October 2013 on United Nations Programme of Assistance in Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
- Statement at UNGA 67, 24 October 2012 on United Nations Programme of Assistance in Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
Statement to UNGA 66, 12 October 2011
on the ILC Report in relation to the Scope and Application of the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction
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Ireland's Security Council statements can be found on the Permanent Mission to the UN's site on ireland.ie.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs regularly answers Parliamentary Questions and makes statements to the Oireachtas on particular issues.