Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams last night (Wednesday) added his voice to the debate over the direction of the Human Rights Commission, saying its "ability to uphold and protect human rights is seriously in doubt".
Mr Adams warned that the British government needs to "act now" if confidence is to be restored in the organisation, which was established in 1999 as a central component of the Good Friday Agreement.
The West Belfast MP was speaking in the wake of the publication last week of a Westminster report which highlighted problems at the heart of the commission – including breaches of its independence, and the resignations of three commissioners over concerns about the direction of the proposed bill of rights.
The head of the commission, Brice Dickson, yesterday told the Irish News that he has no plans to resign, despite admitting that he mishandled a case linked to the Holy Cross school protest.
While the commission was funding a case challenging the policing of the protest, he wrote to the then chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan revealing that he did not back the case.
Solicitors acting for the parent of a Holy Cross pupil taking the judicial review claimed the letter was a "breach of trust".
Professor Dickson said he had done what he "felt was right at the time in view of the deep divisions which had surfaced within the commission".
"Looking back on the matter a year and a half later, I might have dealt with those divisions differently," he said.
Referring to yesterday's Irish News interview with Prof Dickson, Mr Adams said: "The commission's ability to uphold and protect human rights is seriously in doubt.
"Only last week the Westminster Joint Committee on Human Rights also identified serious problems within the commission.
"If public confidence is to be restored the British government needs to act now."
Revelations about the commission's handling of the court case challenging the policing of the Holy Cross protest "have further dented political and public confidence in the commission's ability to uphold and protect human rights".
"The Chief Commissioner's public explanations in the media about this matter are unconvincing and unsatisfactory," Mr Adams said.
"Sinn Féin has consistently raised concerns around the commission, including its powers and resources, the representativeness of commissioners and the appointments process itself.
"Last week the Westminster Joint Committee on Human Rights reached many of the same conclusions and recommended amending legislation to place a duty on the commission to act with independence and impartiality.
"This is crucial in order to repair the damage to the commission and to make it an effective guardian of human rights.
"Prompt action from the British government is essential to repair the damage to the commission and to make it an effective guardian of human rights," Mr Adams said.
"It is also crucial that the commission itself seriously reflects on the growing fears being expressed by former commissioners and other human rights experts that its approach on equality and parity of esteem have a potential to undermine the Good Friday Agreement."
