Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether under the human rights arrangements within the Belfast Agreement 1998, they have raised or will raise the decision by the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to ban all Church of Ireland services in the centre of Dublin on Easter Sunday, and if they have raised this matter, what was the result.

Lord Dunlop

I am informed that the authorities in the Republic of Ireland have not banned all Church of Ireland services in the centre of Dublin on Easter Sunday but that there will be restricted access to the city centre on that day due to security measures being put it place around a planned Easter Rising Commemoration parade.

I understand that the Irish Government and An Garda Síochána are working closely with senior Church of Ireland representatives in order to facilitate worship at those churches in the area. This matter has not been raised under the human rights arrangements within the Belfast Agreement 1998.