Human rights leader sees slow, steady progress in Northern Ireland

Published: 2007-03-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Progress for human rights and equality under the law is moving at a slow but steady pace in Northern Ireland, said a leading human rights activist. "You have to keep your patience going," said Maggie Beirne, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, at a Washington briefing March 15 for officials of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. While it is hard to get people in Northern Ireland to agree on major political issues, there is growing cooperation on the neighborhood and local levels to achieve common goals, she said. Beirne's committee is an independent body that monitors human rights and promotes equality in administering criminal justice in Northern Ireland, where political issues have been marred by decades of conflict between Catholics and Protestants. There has been less conflict in recent years. The key issue is whether Northern Ireland should remain under British rule as part of the United Kingdom or whether it should join Ireland. The Protestant majority generally favors remaining under British rule while the minority Catholics mostly favor union with Ireland.

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